Kochi: The Directorate of Enforcement (ED), investigating the alleged Highrich money chain scam, is likely to question its promoter couple Sreena Prathapan and Kolatt Dasan Prathapan for a "minimum of 10 days", said a top official.
Highrich Online Shoppe Private Limited Managing Director Prathapan appeared before ED's investigating officer in Kochi Monday morning, as ordered by a Special Court hearing money laundering cases.
His wife and CEO of Highrich Sreena Prathapan appeared before ED in the afternoon. At 8 pm, the central agency was still questioning the couple. "It (the questioning) will take a minimum of 10 days," said ED Deputy Director of Kochi Zone Prashant Kumar.
According to a statement given by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in the Assembly on January 29, Highrich illegally raised Rs 3,141.34 crore from the public. Depositors who were duped have filed cases against the couple in various police stations under the Banning of Unregulated Deposit Scheme (BUDS) Act. The highest number of cases are filed at Cherpu Police in Thrissur district.
On February 12, the couple's counsel made a submission before the Special Court hearing their anticipatory bail that they would cooperate with ED's investigation. ED's Special Public Prosecutor M J Santhosh told the court that the couple had earlier failed to appear before the investigation officer despite a notice being served on them.
The court directed the couple to appear before ED on February 10 and posted the next hearing on their anticipatory bail petition to February 20.
On January 23, ED searched the couple's offices at Cherpu and reportedly found that the Thrissur-based Highrich Online Shoppe Pvt Limited illegally raised Rs 1,157 crore from the public as membership fees for its pyramid scheme run under the guise of an online grocery business.
ED also found that the company and its promoters have parked Rs 212.46 crore in 55 accounts at four private banks. ED issued an order to freeze all the accounts.
That day, that is on January 23, Sreena and Prathapan gave ED a slip and reportedly fled in a chauffeur-driven car. The agency got hold of the couple for questioning after 28 days.
