Infamous for inciting communal hatred, spreading fake news and misusing money raised for welfare purposes, Rana Ayub is finally caught by ED with evidence.The Enforcement Directorate has attached assets worth Rs. 1.77 crores of alleged journalist Rana Ayyub under the Money Laundering Act probe linked to alleged diversion of donor funds.
The money laundering case against Ayyub was registered on the basis of an FIR filed in August,2021 in Indirapuram Police Station, Ghaziabad (Uttarpradesh) related to alleged irregularities in funds obtained by her from the public for charitable purposes.
One Vikas Sankrityayan filed an FIR on August 28, 2021 accusing Ayyub of illegally acquiring a huge amount of money from general public through online crowd funding platform “Ketto” in the name of charity. The Indirapuram police invoked Section 4 of Black Money Act along with sections of IPC and IT Act.
The funds were collected for the people living in slums and for the farmers during the period of April-May 2020, relief work for Assam, Bihar and Maharashtra during June-September 2020 and for helping COVID-19 victims during May-June 2021 said ED.
“Funds totalling ₹2,69,44,680 were raised on Ketto by Rana Ayyub. These funds were withdrawn in the bank accounts of her sister/father. Of this amount, ₹72,01,786 was withdrawn in her own bank account, more than ₹37 lakh was withdrawn in her sister Iffat Shaikh’s account and over ₹1.60 crore in her father Mohd. Ayyub Waquif’s bank account. All these funds were subsequently transferred to her bank account.”
The ED said that the probe made it very clear that the funds were raised in a pre-planned and systematic manner and were not utilised completely for the purpose with which they were actually raised.
“Ms. Rana Ayyub also created a Fixed Deposit of Rs 50 lakh from funds raised on Ketto and subsequently did not utilise these for relief works. She deposited ₹74.50 lakh in PM Cares Fund and CM Relief Fund. Accordingly, proceeds of crime are quantified as ₹1,77,27,704 and interest generated upon FD of Rs 50 lakh.”
According to the officials, Ms Ayyub submitted documents related to expenses to the tune of ₹31.16 lakh. However, after the verification of the claimed expenses, it was found out that the actual amount of expenses was ₹17.66 lakh only.
“Fake bills were found to have been prepared by Ms Ayyub in the name of some entities to claim expenses on relief work. Expenses made for personal travel by air were claimed as expense for relief work.”
The Enforcement Directorate attached fixed deposit of ₹50 lakh and Interest accordingly.