Mangaluru, Aug 8: The Directorate of Enforcement (ED), Mangaluru sub-zonal office, has unearthed fresh evidence of large-scale fund diversion in the ongoing money-laundering probe against alleged conman Roshan Saldanha and associates. The latest findings reveal the mobilisation of approximately ₹39 crore from local businessmen under false pretences, with a significant portion siphoned off for personal gain.
On Tuesday, ED teams carried out search operations at five locations in Mangaluru under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. The investigation stems from multiple FIRs registered by the Mangaluru City Police against Saldanha, his wife Dafney Neetu D’Souza, and others. The accused are alleged to have posed as loan facilitators, collecting money under the guise of stamp duty for arranging low-interest loans — which were never delivered.
During the searches, ED officers seized incriminating diaries and documents linking the accused to the fraudulent mobilisation of funds. According to officials, the money was routed through dummy firms and ultimately spent on personal expenses, private business ventures, and other non-loan-related purposes.
Key findings from the latest operation include:
• ₹3.8 crore in multiple bank accounts frozen.
• Discovery that ₹5.8 crore of the proceeds of crime was used to purchase five fishing boats in Dafney’s name — now seized/frozen.
• Total seizure/freeze value from the operation stands at approximately ₹9.5 crore.
The ED confirmed that the prime accused, Roshan Saldanha, is currently in judicial custody, and that further investigation is underway to trace additional assets and possible beneficiaries.
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