Sajeev N Nair, state dealer of MonaVie, who had been arrested by Crime Branch, has illegally earned around Rs 10 crore as incentive by cheating thousands of people.
Sources with the Crime Branch, Economic offenses Wing (EOW) Kozhikode maintained that lion’s share of this amount was amassed during his stint with Amway India, the network marketing company he was working before joining MonaVie.
Crime Branch sources also said that he was arrested after they got clear evidence of cheating a sum of `11.79 crore and has intensified the probe to nab two close associates of Sajeev, M Shamsudheen and Abhilash Thomas, both distributors of MonaVie.
MonaVie energy drink and protein powder are grossly overpriced products and used a business mode that appears to be in the illegal pyramid scheme, said Crime Branch sources. The business plan was completely against Prize Chits and Money Circulation Banning Act of 1978.
Meanwhile, Shamsudheen and Abhilash Thomas have moved an anticipatory bail plea before Thiruvananthapuram Judicial First Class Magistrate Court to avoid the arrest, according to sources.
Shamsudeen, 52, a native of Thiruvananthapuram and former Senior Inspector with Peerless was also associated with direct selling companies such as Quantum International Private Limited and RMP Infotech Private Limited.
Abhilash, a native of Sulthan Bathery joined Mona Vie after got terminated from RMP.
Earlier, Shamsudheen was beaten up in public at Kozhikode by activists of All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) union backed Multi Level Marketing Federation.
Sajeev Nair was a ‘black diamond’ with Amway then he was resigned and joined MonaVie.
According to sources, his grudge towards his former company compelled him to join Mona Vie and formulated similar type of business plans to implement in other states.
Crime Branch has started investigations into the top level authorities of MonaVie India, which is based in Chennai.
However, Direct Selling (MLM) Distributors Protection Council has claimed that MonaVie is a company working under the guidelines issued on direct selling by Kerala government.