HYDERABAD: The Hyderabad zonal office of the Directorate of Enforcement conducted searches on January 3 under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002 and seized multiple SIM cards and mobile phones from the residence of alleged conman Sandeep Desai.
The SIM cards and phones are believed to have been used in fraudulent activities targeting individuals under ED investigation.
The January 3 searches were a follow-up to the ED’s searches of two premises of CSK Realtors Ltd. and Singh Mansions Pvt. Ltd in Hyderabad on December 19, 2024.
Following the searches, Desai allegedly contacted Suresh Kumar Agarwal, the managing director of CSK Realtors and attempted to extort money.
Desai arranged a meeting at a five-star hotel in Hyderabad, introducing himself as “Rakesh” and claiming to be a relative of an ED officer. He allegedly demanded a large sum to mediate with ED officials.
Based on a written complaint from Agarwal, the ED launched an investigation. Surveillance and CCTV footage led the ED team to Desai.
During questioning, Desai admitted to the extortion attempt, falsely claiming connections with ED officers.