BALASORE:In a major boost to the probe into money-laundering case regarding Green Ray International Limited (GRIL), the company’s chairman-cum-managing director (CMD) Mir Sahiruddin was caught by State Security Service (SSS) of Nigeria on Wednesday on the grounds of suspected money laundering. He has been accused of mobilising more than Rs 2,000 crore from 14 States in India through his company.
Sahiruddin was hiding at Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, with family to hoodwink the CBI which has been entrusted to probe the multi-crore chit fund scam. The fraudster is also allegedly involved in gold trading.
Sources said SSS, also known as the Department of State Services (DSS), is the primary domestic intelligence agency of Nigeria.
Reliable sources informed ‘The Express’ that Sahiruddin, a native of Jaleswar in Balasore district, was caught a few hours after a man from India carrying cash 100 Million Naira (Rs 3.19 crore) was apprehended by the security agency at Murtala Mohammed Airport (MMA) in Lagos. He was about to fly to Abuja.
“The security officials first caught that man, whose identification is yet to be revealed, by tapping his cell phone and asked him to continue conversation with Sahiruddin. Subsequently, he was intercepted. Both are now being interrogated,” the source informed over phone.
It is learnt that the Government of Nigeria has put its intelligence wing on alert to verify international calls and tightened internal security following frequent massacre by Boko Haram insurgents, who are suspected to have been receiving foreign funding to strengthen their base.
Sahiruddin is accused of money laundering since he was operating the ponzi firm in Odisha and other States in India. Investigations revealed that his company had transferred crores of rupees from India to Dubai and then Nigeria through hawala brokers.
Earlier, the Comptroller of Immigration Department at Abuja had seized his passport he had submitted to extend his Short Term Resident (STR) Visa. His passport was seized after his Nigerian partner took back his guarantee. He, however, managed to get the passport released by bribing some officials.
While one director of the company has been arrested in connection with the chit fund scam so far besides a branch manager, Sahiruddin and two other directors were still at large. With no Indian security agency or CBI taking any initiative to apprehend the fraudsters, they were living their life lavishly outside the country while lakhs of poor and unsuspecting depositors are languishing in penury. Despite repeated appeals, the CBI is yet to make any headway in connection with Green Ray scam.
Apart from the 41 branches in the State, GRIL has 67 branches in 13 other States besides its international branch in Bar Dubai. Altogether, 13 cases have been registered against the company authorities in Balasore, Mayurbhanj, Ganjam, Sonepur and Khurda districts. Chhattisgarh police also have registered five cases.
■ GRIL accused of mobilising Rs 2,000 crore from 14 states, including Odisha
■ Company had 41 branches in Odisha, 67 more in 13 other States
13 cases registered against the company in Balasore, Mayurbhanj, Ganjam, Sonepur and Khurda districts
■ Five cases registered in Chhattisgarh
■ One director arrested, three others are at large