Rs.382 Crore Tax Notice to Real Estate Agent: Unveils Aadhaar and PAN Misuse Scam Involving Multiple Bank Accounts

A real estate agent from the Diva area of Thane was taken aback when he received an income tax notice accusing him of doing transactions worth Rs.382 crore.

The unaware agent, who lives in a chawl, quickly discovered that he had been a victim of a huge financial scam involving bogus bank accounts and proprietary firms set up in his name for money laundering causes, according to a police officer.

The ordeal started in 2022 when the complainant was approached by an acquaintance. The main accused offered him a job with a monthly salary of Rs.20,000. The main accused, along with two others, demanded his Aadhaar card, PAN card, photographs, and a signed cheque.

The documents were allegedly used by the trio to register various bank accounts and create fake businesses, including a proprietorship firm. These accounts were utilized for massive monetary transactions totalling Rs.382 crore.

The complainant discovered the scam when he received a notice from the Income Tax Department requesting him to explain the significant financial activity under his name. He approached the cybercrime police, who filed a case and launched an investigation.

The accused utilized the complainant’s documents to plan the fraud, which involved unlawful financial transactions and money laundering through bogus firms, according to the police.

“They opened multiple bank accounts used for large-scale money laundering,” according to a police officer.

Police have urged the public not to share personal documents, as such scams are becoming more common.