KOLKATA: The Enforcement Directorate is considering attaching 32 racehorses belonging to Kunal Gupta, owner of a call centre, through which he allegedly cheated thousands of clients in the US, the UK, and Australia.
Gupta, who was arrested by the probe agency earlier this month, allegedly bought and maintained the horses with his ill-gotten money. ED’s lawyer, Abhijit Bhadra, told the special PMLA court that Gupta procured 32 horses over the past few years and, that, the horses took part in races across 7 racecourses in the country.
The investigating agency learnt about the horses after questioning the employees of Gupta’s company, Met Technologies Pvt Ltd, including its chief financial officer. Enforcement Directorate can attach animals if they are procured with the proceeds of crime. In 2019, the agency issued a provisional attachment order (under Section 5 of the PMLA) for 3 chimpanzees and 4 marmosets seized from a smuggler in Kolkata.
Gupta’s counsel Sabyasachi Banerjee, however said: “Whatever property Gupta has is obtained legally. Most of the property has been procured through bank loans. He has paid taxes on each of them and there is no question of proceeds of crime.”
Gupta was first seen active in the race circuit more than five years ago. In 2018, he started his company at Hatiara in Kolkata and his wife, Nandini, joined it, ED officers said. Over the next 3 years, he bought horses that participated in races across the country. Sources at the Kolkata racecourse said Gupta bought horses at auctions, private sales, and from breeders.
He would also procure second-hand horses. Gupta mainly targeted 2-year-old horses and trained them, sources said. tnn
ED charged the horses were bought with money channelled by 11 firms belonging to Gupta.
Gupta, who was arrested by the probe agency earlier this month, allegedly bought and maintained the horses with his ill-gotten money. ED’s lawyer, Abhijit Bhadra, told the special PMLA court that Gupta procured 32 horses over the past few years and, that, the horses took part in races across 7 racecourses in the country.
The investigating agency learnt about the horses after questioning the employees of Gupta’s company, Met Technologies Pvt Ltd, including its chief financial officer. Enforcement Directorate can attach animals if they are procured with the proceeds of crime. In 2019, the agency issued a provisional attachment order (under Section 5 of the PMLA) for 3 chimpanzees and 4 marmosets seized from a smuggler in Kolkata.
Gupta’s counsel Sabyasachi Banerjee, however said: “Whatever property Gupta has is obtained legally. Most of the property has been procured through bank loans. He has paid taxes on each of them and there is no question of proceeds of crime.”
Gupta was first seen active in the race circuit more than five years ago. In 2018, he started his company at Hatiara in Kolkata and his wife, Nandini, joined it, ED officers said. Over the next 3 years, he bought horses that participated in races across the country. Sources at the Kolkata racecourse said Gupta bought horses at auctions, private sales, and from breeders.
He would also procure second-hand horses. Gupta mainly targeted 2-year-old horses and trained them, sources said. tnn
ED charged the horses were bought with money channelled by 11 firms belonging to Gupta.