Lookout notice against Michael Ferriera in marketing scam

The Mumbai Police investigating Rs 425 crore multi-level-marketing (MLM) firm Q Net scam on Thursday issued a lookout notice against former snooker champion Michael Ferriera, for failing to appear before the investigators wanting to know his relationship with the firm in question.

Sources said that while there was no summons issued to the 75-year-old billiards champion considering his stature and age, ' a simple letter was sent to him requesting him to present himself at the Economic Offences Wing office, early last month.'

The EOW has been investigating the Q Net company for defrauding people by selling them products deemed with having curative powers as well for luring thousands of investors into alleged dubious investment schemes.

Nine arrested

Till now the investigating agency has arrested nine key people of the firm, under Prize, Chits and Money Circulation Schemes (Banning) Act 1978.

Interestingly, Padma Bhushan awardee Ferriera who had earlier defended the firm in the media, had in earlier intimation to the police stated that he was not in the country and would be returning soon but the flashing of a lookout notice would mean that he could be detained at the the immigration check points.

A senior police official connected with the investigation said that though a look-out notice does entail detaining the person on being spotted, “ in case of Ferriera we are not planning to take this extreme step...the notice has been flashed just to remind him that we need some answers to untangle the scam.”