Embezzlement case: ED conducts raid at residence of accused in Kasaragod

Kochi: A raid was conducted by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) at the residence of Muhammad Hafiz who is the accused in extorting over Rs 107 crores from his father-in-law Abdul Lahir, who is a Dubai-based businessman. In connection with the embezzlement case, raids were conducted at 9 places including the residence of Hafiz in Kasaragod.

In the raids, Rs 12.5 lakhs and 1,600 grams of gold were seized. The ED has freezed the fixed deposit of  around Rs 4.4 crores of the accused.

A car of Karnataka MLA NA Haris with an official sticker was found at Hafiz’s residence. The officials will investigate the matter as well.

As per the complaint, Muhammed Hafiz extorted over Rs 107 crores from his father-in-law and Dubai-based businessman Abdul Lahir, a native of Aluva Thynothil road. Hafiz married Lahir's daughter in 2017 and received jewellery worth 1000 sovereign as wedding gift.

The scam began when Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted raids against his company. Hafiz received Rs 3.9 crores from his father-in-law to cover the fines. Complaints were also received alleging another scam of Rs 47 crores through document forgery, under the pretext of selling a commercial building to Maharashtra minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha. 

Hafiz has also been accused of handing over fake documents to his father-in-law in return for paying crores to buy an apartment complex in Bengaluru's Brigade Road. 

In his complaint to the Aluva police, Lahir stated that the scam was jointly executed by Hafiz, who is the Managing Director of a company and Director of 4 other companies, along with his friend Akshay Thomas Vaidyan.

Earlier, raids were conducted for three days at seven centres, including houses and offices in Goa, Bengaluru, and Kasaragod, in connection with the case. Central intelligence agencies are also suspicious about Hafiz providing money for terrorist activities.

Even though Hafiz was arrested by the crime branch, they couldn't trace where the Rs 107 crores was invested. Hafiz was also arrested by the Goa police last year in the case of extorting money by making a fake letterhead of the Goa-Karnataka Chief Income Tax Commissioner.