LUCKNOW: Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s brother and lawyer was questioned at the Enforcement Directorate’s zonal office here on Thursday in connection with the alleged online fraud committed by a company from which the actor received Rs 1.5 crore as endorsement money.
The ED had issued summons to Nawazuddin after it discovered links between him and the directors of the Noida-based private company found involved in running a fraudulent online ponzi scheme. The directorate had sought the actor’s explanation over Rs 1.15 crore he received from the company.
In an hour-long questioning session, Nawazuddin’s brother Shamas Nawab Siddiqui claimed the actor had received the money in lieu of promotional services offered to the company. All related documents and mails dealing with it were submitted to the directorate.
“We had struck a legal deal as contractual agreement with AddsBook.com which is still functioning well and appears on the site of corporate affairs,” said Shamas. It was AddsBook’s mother company — Web Work Trade Links — which was found involved in the ponzi scam, he added.
“We are not related to Web Work in any way,” claimed Shamas. His lawyer claimed that the transaction between the actor and the company were within the legal framework.