ED raids two illegal call centres in Patiala extorting US nationals

Searches across Patiala, Chandigarh, and Pune reveal 220 workers, a central command hub, and illegal currency conversion links.

Patiala: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has busted two operational fake call centres in Patiala that were allegedly cheating and extorting US nationals, officials said on Wednesday.

A paramilitary personnel standing guard at the entrance of one of call centres during the ED raid in Patiala on Wednesday. (HT Photo)

The raids, conducted on September 15 and 16, were part of an ongoing money laundering probe into an international scam syndicate.

Simultaneous searches across four premises in Patiala, Pune, and Chandigarh uncovered around 220 employees working across three active call centres—two in Patiala and one in Pune. ED officials are currently verifying the identities, roles, and reporting structures of all staff present during the raids.

Investigators revealed that a mastermind allegedly coordinated and controlled the Patiala operations from a residential property in Chandigarh. Searches at the Chandigarh site yielded digital devices containing operational data and led to the identification of an individual tasked with laundering the proceeds by converting US dollars into Indian rupees.

The searches were carried out under Section 17 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, following field verifications and intelligence gathering.

At the Patiala sites, investigators seized workstations, computers, headsets, mobile phones, and networking gear. “Laptops and mobile phones recovered from the operators contained detailed data on the syndicate’s modus operandi and the distribution of illicit funds,” an ED official said.

While digital evidence, financial transactions, and suspect roles remain under active scrutiny, the ED has not yet disclosed the total quantum of laundered money, the number of victims, or the names of the primary accused.