Mastermind behind China-linked shell companies arrested while trying to flee India

New Delhi, Sep 11 (IANS) Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) has arrested a person named Dortse, Director of Jillian Consultants India Pvt Ltd after searches and seizure operations were conducted at his premises in Gurugram, Bengaluru and Hyderabad. Dortse was attempting to flee India through a land route when he was arrested in Bihar.

According to the Ministry of corporate Affairs, Dortse (the name revealed by the authorities) is the mastermind of a racket incorporating a large number of shell companies with Chinese links in India and providing dummy directors on their boards.

The person was arrested on Saturday after searches were conducted on September 8 at the offices of Jillian Consultants India Private Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Jilian Hong Kong Ltd., at Gurugram, Fininty Pvt Ltd at Bengaluru and Husys Consulting Ltd, an erstwhile listed company at Hyderabad, a ministry statement said.

Dortse had shown himself to be a resident of Mandi in Himachal Pradesh as per the records filed with the Registrar of Companies (ROC).

Evidence procured during the enquiry by ROC Delhi and the simultaneous search operations clearly points to dummy Directors being paid by Jilian India Ltd. to act as dummies in several shell companies, official sources said.

Boxes filled with company seals and digital signatures of dummy directors have been recovered from the site.

The Indian employees were in touch with the Chinese counterparts through a Chinese instant messaging app.

Husys Ltd was also found to be acting on behalf of Jilian India Ltd.

Initial observations reveal that Husys Ltd. had a pact with Jilian Hong Kong Ltd.

Investigations so far have revealed the possible involvement of these shell companies in serious financial crimes detrimental to the financial security of the country.

The Ministry of Corporate Affairs, under whose aegis SFIO operates, had assigned the investigation of Jilian Consultants India Private Limited and 32 other companies to SFIO on September 9, 2022.

Dortse and one Chinese national are the two directors in Jilian Consultants India Private Limited.

Based on inputs and the investigations carried out, it was gathered that Dortse had fled from Delhi-NCR to a remote place in Bihar and was attempting to escape India through the road route.

Immediately, a special team was constituted in SFIO which was deputed to the said remote place.

On Saturday, SFIO arrested Dortse, who was later produced in the jurisdictional court and orders for his transit remand were obtained, official sources said.