Taking cognisance of CBI's two FIRs, the Enforcement Directorate on Friday registered money laundering case against tainted journalist Upendra Rai and his associates for routing more than Rs 100 crore through shell firms. The ED also conducted searches at Rai's offices and residences in Delhi and Noida.
Rai is presently lodged in Tihar jail after the court sent him in judicial custody till May 23. Rai, who was Editor in Sahara Group's media organizations and Tehelka, was caught for fixing and extorting businessmen by blackmailing with Income Tax actions against them. The first CBI FIR was for routing huge money of more than Rs 100 crore into his firms from shell companies and perjury in obtaining sensitive Airport Entry Pass issued by Bureau of Civil Aviation Security.
The second CBI FIR was based on complaint filed by a Mumbai-based real estate firm owner Balvinder Singh Malhotra for extorting more than Rs 15 crore. Rai had extorted the money from White lion Real Estate Developers by threatening to publish Income Tax findings against them for parking huge money through shell firms. According to CBI, Rai also assured the businessmen to settle the case with the Income Tax top brass. The FIR said the role of senior IT officers is being probed.
ED officials said the agency has charged Rai and others under the Prevention of Money laundering Act (PMlA) and taken cognisance of two CBI FIRs.
They said the raids are being conducted at multiple premises like Greater Kailash-1 in the national capital and in adjoining Noida. Rai, who is 36 years old, owns many homes in many cities in the country and has fleet of high-end vehicles. His accounts witnessed more than Rs 100 crore transfer in just one year, said the officials, trying to prove the origin and intent of such huge transfer to a journalist's account.