Bengaluru: A Kochi resident accused of cheating was found using a car with the official protocol sticker of Shanthinagar MLA N A Haris, the Directorate of Enforcement said on Wednesday.
The protocol division of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly had issued the sticker to the Congress MLA.
According to the ED, the car was purchased by Haris's son and Karnataka Youth Congress general secretary Mohammed Haris Nalapad but registered in the name of Nafih Muhammed Naser, a close relative of the MLA and his political aide.
On March 14, 15 and 16, officials from the ED's Kochi Zone searched nine places in Karnataka, Kerala and Goa belonging to Kochi resident Muhammed Hafiz and others under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002.
Hafeez and his associates were named in FIRs registered by police in Karnataka, Kerala and Goa under IPC sections dealing with cheating by impersonation, misappropriation of funds, forgery and fabrication of documents. Hafeez allegedly extracted Rs 108.73 crore worth of dowry from his in-laws, the ED stated.
Following the searches, the ED seized 1,672.8 grams of gold jewellery, Rs 12.5 lakh in Indian currency, seven mobile phones and various "incriminating" documents.
In addition, the ED issued orders to freeze bank balance/fixed deposits worth Rs 4.4 crore belonging to the accused persons.
Published 20 March 2024, 18:03 IST