Torres Scam: Whistle-Blower Accountant Exposes Fraud Involving Ukrainian Nationals | File Photo
Mumbai: In the Torres investment scam, the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) has filed a voluminous chargesheet, with new revelations emerging every day. As per the chargesheet, the whistle-blower chartered accountant Abhishek Gupta, who helped set up the jewellery business of Torres under the parent firm Platinum Hearn Pvt Ltd, told the EOW that accused Satish Surve wanted to resign in December when he suspected foul play.
Surve, with Gupta’s help, had sent a complaint to the police and other central agencies about the fraud on January 2, Gupta has claimed in his statement. Gupta claimed that Surve had realised that Ukrainian nationals were defrauding the company as there was no information available about who was operating it and what its core business was.
He claimed that Surve had come to his office, where he explained the entire operation of the company and sent a written complaint to several agencies on January 2 at 4.38am by email. After the said email, Gupta received a message from Artem (a wanted accused). asking him to reach the Parel office. At the Parel office, he was asked to prepare a video blaming Tausif Riyaz for the scam.
After preparing the video, Gupta said he managed to escape under the pretext of using the restroom. As per the chargesheet, Gupta also pointed out several irregularities in the accounts, claiming that the Torres management wanted to pass off Rs13.76 crore funds infused by accused Lallan Singh as a loan.
In his statement, Gupta claimed that in November/ December 2024, while he was conducting the statutory audit of Platinum Hearn for 2023-24, he noticed a loan of Rs13.76 crore had been taken. Also noticed were loans related to firms namely Astrozen Pharmaceuticals (Rs45 lakh), Miracal (Rs2.69 crore), Mulund Online Services (Rs87.96 lakh), Oath Advisory Pvt Ltd (Rs3.67 crore), Prisah FMS and Security Services INC (Rs5.73 crore) and Sunil Restaurant and Bar (Rs32.83 crore).
Gupta alleged that when he asked for records, he was provided an investment agreement but no details. He was later told that the firms belonged to Singh, who took cash from Platinum Hearn and deposited it into the accounts of these firms. These companies later routed the same funds back to Platinum Hearn.
