Operation 'Project Clean' created on Signal app to mislead ED in excise policy case
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has detected a group called 'Project Clean' created on Signal app from the iPhone recovered from Amandeep Dhall, the director of Brindco Sales Pvt Ltd, in which a questionnaire with answers was shared with a few persons to mislead the probe into the Delhi excise policy case.
IANS
May 1, 2023 10:38
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New Delhi, May 1 (IANS) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has detected a group called 'Project Clean' created on Signal app from the iPhone recovered from Amandeep Dhall, the director of Brindco Sales Pvt Ltd, in which a questionnaire with answers was shared with a few persons to mislead the probe into the Delhi excise policy case.
Dhall was called to join the probe on January 16, but he didn't bring his iPhone which was used by him in addition to his regular phone, according to the ED charge sheet.
When the ED officials asked him where his iPhone was, he tried to mislead the agency by saying that he uses another phone only for data usage purposes.
Later, Dhall produced the iPhone, and the ED traced a group named �Project Clean' on Signal app where it found a questionnaire.
Rahul Kapur and Nitin Talwar, both employees of Grant Thornton, told ED that the questions and answers in the questionnaire were prepared by Dhall as probable queries which could be asked by the investigating agencies to him.
The questionnaire contained questions like 'why did you provide extra discount to Ace company'. It is important to note that this questionnaire was prepared between October 20 and 26, 2022, whereas the ED did not ask any question to Dhall on Ace Finance.
The ED has alleged that by doing this, Dhall tried to hide evidences by giving false statements with reference to his second phone, which contained incriminating materials and chats although he had claimed that he used it only for data purposes.
The ED learnt from the CDR analysis that the said iPhone was used during June-August 2022, which was contrary to the version that the iPhone was used only for data purposes.
Dhall also tried to influence a witness, Rahul Kapur, by preparing and showing him a false document (which contained incorrect facts), the ED clamed.
However, Kapur did not accept the false document and told Dhall that he does not concur with what has been mentioned in the said document and that he will state only the truth before the ED, the agency claimed.
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