Dino Morea, DJ Aqeel summoned by ED in Sterling Biotech bank fraud case

The actor and the popular disc jockey (DJ) have been asked to depose before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) as it has got evidence that the two were paid some money by the Gujarat-based pharmaceutical group in the past, they said.

New Delhi: The ED has summoned Bollywood actor Dino Morea and DJ Aqeel for questioning in the Sterling Biotech alleged bank fraud and money laundering probe case, officials said Monday.

The actor and the popular disc jockey (DJ) have been asked to depose before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) as it has got evidence that the two were paid some money by the Gujarat-based pharmaceutical group in the past, they said.

They will be questioned about the circumstances of these payments made out of the proceeds of crime identified in the case and their statements will be recorded under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the officials said.

While Morea, also a model, has worked in a number of Hindi films, Aqeel is a popular DJ. The two could not be immediately contacted for the reaction. The agency last week had made one of its largest PMLA attachments and frozen assets worth 9,778 crores of the group in India and abroad.

The alleged ₹8,100 crore bank loan fraud is being alleged to have been perpetrated by the Vadodara-based pharma firm and its main promoters Nitin Sandesara, Chetan Sandesara and Deepti Sandesara, all of whom are absconding.

The Sandesaras are also under probe for their alleged nexus with some high-profile politicians by the ED as also by the CBI and the Income Tax Department under criminal sections that deal with corruption and tax evasion respectively.

The ED, in the past, has attached assets worth ₹4,730 crore in this case.

"The main promoters (of the Sterling group) have not only siphoned off loan funds to finance their Nigerian oil business but also for their personal purposes," the agency said. It said loan funds were "diverted for non-mandated purposes, layered and laundered through a web of multiple domestic as well as offshore entities."

"Investigations revealed that the group was engaged in round-tripping of standby letters of credit (SBLCs) funds to the tune of ₹4,500 crore by violating conditions laid by the RBI while sanctioning the loan," the ED said.