Surat: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has provisionally attached three immovable properties worth ₹2.13 crore belonging to Makbul Abdul Rehman Doctor and his family under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The action is linked to ongoing probes into multiple cybercrime frauds involving over ₹100 crore in proceeds of crime.

The ED investigation, initiated on the basis of a Surat Police SOG probe, found that Makbul Doctor, his sons Kaashif and Bassam, and their associates ran a series of cyber scams, including digital arrest frauds, forex scams, and fake law-enforcement notices issued in the name of the Supreme Court and ED, etc.

To launder the illicit money, the accused allegedly opened bank accounts using employees and hired individuals and operated them through pre-activated SIM cards. The agency also uncovered that the proceeds were converted into cryptocurrency (USDT) via hawala operators to evade scrutiny.

Four accused, Makbul Doctor, Kaashif Doctor, Mahesh Mafatlal Desai, and Om Rajendra Pandya, have already been arrested under PMLA in October. Further investigation is underway. DeshGujarat