Kriti Verma Questioned By ED In Connection With Devastating 2.64 Crore IT Scandal

Actor Kriti Verma is being questioned in a massive fraud case that has been uncovered involving a senior tax assistant and a private company. The alleged culprit, Tanaji Mandal Adhikari, an I-T inspector, is said to have been the mastermind behind the scheme. Along with his accomplice, Patil, Adhikari reportedly gained the trust of high-ranking officials, obtaining their login credentials and passwords.

With this information, Adhikari proceeded to clear both genuine and false tax deducted at source (TDS) refund claims to an account belonging to Patil’s company. Over the course of one year, from November 2019 to November 2020, Adhikari cleared a staggering 12 fraudulent TDS refunds, totaling an estimated Rs 264 crore.

This shocking revelation has sent shockwaves through the financial industry and calls for a thorough investigation into the matter. The individuals involved must be brought to justice to ensure that such fraudulent activities are prevented in the future.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has taken legal action against Tanaji Mandal Adhikari, a senior tax assistant in the IT department, and others in connection with an alleged illegal issuance of tax refunds. In response, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has initiated an investigation into the matter under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) based on the First Information Report (FIR) filed by the CBI. The ED has also summoned Verma multiple times for questioning regarding the issue.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is investigating a money laundering case involving Kriti Verma, a former tax officer who has since transitioned into an acting career. Verma is known for her appearances on popular reality shows such as Roadies and Bigg Boss Season 12.

According to ED authorities, Verma is under investigation for allegedly receiving funds from illegal activities and money laundering. The case, which is estimated to involve a sum of Rs 263 crore, involves Bhushan Patil, a key defendant in the case who is reportedly romantically linked to Verma.

Delhi-born Kriti Verma, who celebrates her 29th birthday on September 4, had previously worked as a GST inspector at the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs.

Her foray into the entertainment industry has seen her take on various roles, including appearing on popular Indian television shows such as Bigg Boss 12, Roadies Xtreme, and “Tere Bina Jiya Jaye Na.”

In a recent turn of events, Kriti Verma was accused of using questionable methods to purchase a property in Gurugram, Haryana, in 2021. The following year, she went on to sell the property, depositing the profits into her bank account. However, the funds were soon discovered during a search operation, with the entire amount of 1.02 crore rupees being frozen by authorities.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) recently took action in January, attaching assets worth INR 69 crore in connection with a case involving fraudulently issued tax refunds. The assets, including land, flats, and luxury cars, were purchased under the names of individuals linked to the case, including Verma, Bhushan Anant Patil, Rajesh Shetty, and Sarika Shetty.

The ED’s investigation is based on a First Information Report (FIR) filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) against two individuals, Tanaji Mandal Adhikari, a senior tax assistant in the Income Tax department, and Bhushan Anant Patil, a businessman based in Panvel. The FIR alleges that the accused were involved in the fraudulent issuance of tax refunds from 2007 to 2009.

Adhikari, a former senior tax assistant, is facing allegations of fraud and misconduct. Reports suggest that during his employment, he was given access to confidential RSA tokens and login credentials, which he used in collaboration with others to carry out the scam.

Investigations have uncovered that the group fraudulently created TDS refunds worth over Rs 263 crore and transferred the funds to different bank accounts, including one belonging to SB Enterprises, owned by Bhushan Anant Patil.

The alleged actions of Adhikari and his accomplices have sparked a major scandal, and the authorities are now taking steps to bring those responsible to justice.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has recently filed a chargesheet against several individuals, including Adhikari, Patil, and Rajesh Shantaram Shetty. The charges against them relate to offenses under Sections 7, and 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption (PC) Act and Section 66 of the Information Technology (IT) Act.

According to the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Adhikari was found to have committed fraud during the period from November 15, 2019, to November 4, 2020. The ED discovered that Adhikari was responsible for generating 12 fraudulent tax-deducted at source (TDS) refunds, totalling Rs 263,95,31,870, which were credited into the account of SB Enterprises.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has uncovered a major money laundering operation in which the proceeds of crime were transferred into the bank accounts of several individuals and entities, including Bhushan Anant Patil and various shell companies.

According to an ED official, one of the properties involved was sold in Gurugram by Kriti Verma, who had acquired it using illegal funds amounting to Rs 1.02 crore. Following an extensive search operation, the entire sale proceeds were discovered in her bank account, which has since been frozen.

The ED’s investigation into this matter is ongoing, and further details are expected to emerge in the coming days.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has recently taken action against the accused by confiscating various assets. These assets include land in popular tourist destinations such as Lonavala, Khandala, Karjat, Pune, and Udupi, flats in Panvel and Mumbai, and three luxury vehicles. The assets were acquired using illegal means and were deemed to be proceeds of crime.

As a result, the ED has issued a provisional attachment order under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) for 32 assets worth a total of 69,65,99,720 Rupees. Out of the total estimated proceeds of crime amounting to 263 crores, assets worth 166 crores have been seized in this case so far.

Bollywood actress Kriti Verma has firmly denied allegations made by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) regarding her involvement in an Income Tax TDS refund racket. According to sources, the young actress has stated that the sum of 1 crore rupees that was transferred into her account by one of the key-accused, Bhushan Patil, was payment for a dance performance.

Verma’s close associates have also come forward to clear her name, stating that she is a victim in this case and has played no role in the illegal activities. Verma is said to have cooperated fully with the investigating agencies and has provided them with all the necessary information to help bring the accused to justice. The actress has been hailed as a responsible citizen for her efforts in this matter.

A dance show held in Panvel at the end of 2020 brought about a relationship between Verma and Patil, but also uncovered a fraudulent case. Verma, who entered into a relationship with Patil after meeting him at the show, claims to have separated from him within six months after learning of the offense.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has taken action in the case by provisionally attaching the assets of both Verma and Patil, as well as properties belonging to others involved in the fraud. The details of the case are still under investigation, and more information is expected to come to light in the near future.

In February 2021, Adhikari received a promotion to the position of an I-T inspector. However, his fraudulent actions were brought to light after a bank detected suspicious activity involving the transfer of a large sum of money from a government account. As a result, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) launched an investigation and filed a case of cheating in January 2022, naming Adhikari, Patil, and four other individuals. Notably, Verma was not included in the CBI’s First Information Report (FIR).

Edited by Prakriti Arora