Rana Ayyub Used RS 2.69 Crore Public Funds For Self: ED’s Charge Sheet

New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) mentioned in the charge sheet lodged against known journalist Rana Ayyub.

According to the ED officials, Ayyub had launched three campaigns for Covid-19 relief and collected Rs 2,69,44,680, which was later transferred into her personal account.

Following this, the economic intelligence agency accused her of illegally acquiring public funds and cheating common people.

The campaigns were named Help in raising funds for slum dwellers and farmers; Relief work for Assam, Bihar, and Maharashtra; and Help Rana Ayyub and her team to help those impacted by Covid19 in India, said ED in its charge sheet filed in a special court in Uttar Pradesh’s Ghaziabad on Wednesday.

The investigation by ED revealed that the funds raised on the online platforms were received in the accounts of Rana Ayyub’s father and sister and subsequently transferred to her personal accounts.

ED said that Rana Ayyub utilised these funds to create a fixed deposit of Rs 50 lakh for herself and also transferred Rs 50 lakh to a new bank account.

The ED investigation also revealed that only approximately Rs 29 lakh was used for relief work.

“In order to claim more expenses towards relief work, fake bills were submitted by Rana Ayyub. Subsequently, bank balances in the accounts of Rana Ayyub amounting to Rs 1,77,27,704 (including Fixed Deposits of Rs 50 lakh) were attached under section 5(1) of Prevention of Money Laundering Act vide a provisional attachment order dated February 4 this year,” the ED said in a statement.

“Rana Ayyub has tried to project these funds as untainted and thus has laundered the funds received from the general public. She also received these funds from foreign countries without any approval or registration from the government which is required under Foreign Contribution Regulation Act, 2010,” the ED said.

ED Investigation has established that Rana Ayyub had launched “these campaigns with the sole intention to cheat the general public and acquired Proceeds of Crime in the form of Fixed Deposits and balances in bank accounts projecting them as untainted”.