india

Updated: Sep 04, 2019 08:52 IST

The Enforcement Directorate has once again summoned Faisal Patel, son of senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel, in connection with its investigation into a Rs 5,000 crore bank fraud and subsequent money laundering by Sterling Biotech Ltd (SBL), a company promoted by the absconding Sandesara brothers, an official familiar with the development said .

The official added on condition of anonymity that Faisal Patel will be asked to explain his association with the Sandesaras on Monday. A former employee of the company, Sunil Yadav, told the anti-money laundering agency that he once handed over Rs 5 lakh to Faisal’s driver in a market in New Delhi on the instructions of Chetan Sandesara.

Faisal Patel was examined at length last week but there are certain clarifications still required from him, said the officer. Faisal Patel did not comment on the developments.

ED in June this year attached moveable and immovable properties worth Rs 9,778 crore of SBL, Sandesara group and promoters Nitin and Chetan Sandesara under the provisions of PMLA (prevention of money laundering act).

Earlier in 2018, the agency attached assets worth Rs 4,730 crore of the business group and its promoters. The case was registered against them by ED after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) registered a first information report (FIR) against them in October 2017 for cheating and bank fraud to the tune of R5,383 crore, officials said.

The Sandesaras are allegedly hiding in Nigeria and Indian agencies are trying to have them extradited.