ED records witness statement of Abdu Rozik in money laundering case

Rozik came under the ED’s notice owing to his alleged association with a hospitality management and consultancy firm, which is under its scanner owing to suspected ties with Shirazi

MUMBAI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday questioned Tajikistani musician Abdu Rozik, who participated in Big Boss season 16, for around three hours in connection with its money-laundering investigation against the purported drug syndicate of Aliasgar Shirazi and others. The agency recorded Rozik’s statement as a witness in the case after he reached the city from Dubai.

Bigg Boss 16 participant Abdu Rozik at the Enforcement Directorate (ED) office to record his statement in a money laundering case on Tuesday. (PTI)

Shirazi , an alleged narcotics trafficker, was taken into custody on January 5 by the ED in connection with its money laundering probe related to the seizure of a synthetic narcotic, Ketamine, worth around ₹7.87 crore in March last year by the Mumbai police. He is currently in judicial custody.

Rozik came under the ED’s notice owing to his alleged association with a hospitality management and consultancy firm, which is under its scanner owing to suspected ties with Shirazi.

According to sources, the hospitality firm had allegedly got in touch with Rozik early last year, seeking to make him a brand ambassador for several upcoming restaurants / hotels associated with it. The firm eventually offered Rozik the brand ambassadorship of an upcoming fastfood joint in the city, for which he agreed and subsequently attended its inauguration ceremony in mid 2023, the sources said.

Rozik however told ED that the hospitality firm did not allegedly pay him even a penny for the brand ambassadorship. According to Rozik, he was instead offered a certain percentage in profits, once the fast - food joint became operational and a profitable enterprise, but it never worked out and he was not paid anything. The restaurant later shut down. According to Rozik, he had never allegedly met Shirazi.

Rozik’s lawyer Prashant Patil said, “My client, Abdu Rozik, was summoned by the Enforcement Directorate in the capacity of a prosecution witness against one Krunal Oza of Hustlers Hospitality Private Limited. As his duty towards the law enforcement agencies in our country, Abdu Rozik has travelled all over from Dubai to depose his statement under section 50 of Prevention of Money Laundering Act.”

“He has provided the necessary documents and has cooperated with the investigation. He stands committed to cooperating with the investigation as and when required. My client did not get even a penny from the firm for the brand ambassador role, and he played no role in the case as per ED’s probe,” advocate Patil added.

ED has recorded Oza’s statement in which he denied any role in the case.

ED’s probe against Shirazi is based on Mumbai police’s alleged seizure of 15.74 kg of a psychotropic substance, Ketamine, worth ₹7.87 crore in Andheri East and a prohibited drug worth ₹58.31 lakh last March. The contraband and the prohibited drug were allegedly meant to be smuggled to Australia and the United Kingdom. On May 22, last year, the Mumbai police arrested Shirazi after he arrived at the airport to allegedly go to Dubai.

Shirazi is accused of being a part of a drug trafficking syndicate that sent illegal synthetic drugs to several countries. The syndicate, allegedly led by Shirazi and others, is under ED’s scrutiny for facilitating the illegal supply of psychotropic substances to US-based clients seeking opioids online. The ED is examining transactions involving four individuals associated with these activities.