The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed a chargesheet against journalist Rana Ayyub under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act on allegations of cheating public. The chargesheet, which names Rana Ayyub as accused, was filed before a designated court in Uttar Pradesh’s Ghaziabad on Wednesday.
The probe agency ED initiated a money laundering investigation on the basis of an FIR registered by the UP Police in 2021. Rana Ayyub has been accused of illegally acquiring funds from the public in the name of charity.
The ED has alleged that Rana Ayyub had started three campaigns and raised crores via Ketto, an online crowdfunding platform. The three campaigns, according to probe officials, include funds for slum dwellers and farmers (during April- May 2020), relief work for Assam, Bihar and Maharashtra (during June- Sept 2020) and help for Covid-19 impacted people in India (during May-June 2021).
Rana Ayyub received donations worth Rs 2.69 crore through three campaigns out of which Rs 80.49 lakh was received in foreign currency. The foreign donations were later returned by Rana Ayyub as the Income Tax department initiated an investigation for allegedly violating the Foreign Contribution Regulations Act (FCRA).
The ED has claimed that the fund of Rs 2.69 crore was raised illegally by Rana Ayyub through three campaigns in the name of charity by cheating the general public.
