Parabolic Drugs case: Few accountants, real estate businessmen under ED scanner

New Delhi : The Enforcement Directorate (ED), in its probe against the Chandigarh-based Parabolic Drugs Pharma Ltd in Rs 1,626 crore money laundering case, has found some crucial evidence linking few of the close associates of its directors Pranav Gupta and Vineet Gupta.

According to ED sources, the agency has got some fresh leads in the case and the names of three accountants have come up of their alleged involvement in the case. The sources said that few of the chartered accountants are also on the financial probe agency's scanner in the case.

Some of the people associated with the real estate and liquor business are also under the agency's scanner and the team will soon verify their association with the Parabolic Drugs.

In the coming days, the agency is likely to make some arrests, the sources said. However, senior officials remained tight-lipped on the issue. Meanwhile, a Ashoka University on Saturday denied the media reports that any ED searches are still going on at its campus or offices.

On Friday, the ED carried out searches at over 15 locations in Delhi, Chandigarh, Ambala, Panchkula, Mumbai in connection with the case. The ED case is based on the CBI's FIR against Chandigarh-based Parabolic Drugs for allegedly defrauding a consortium led by the Central Bank of India (CBI) of Rs 1626.74 crore.

Among those booked were Pranav and Vineet Gupta, the co-founders of Ashoka University. Pranav Gupta serves as the Managing Director of Parabolic Drugs while Vineet is one of the directors of the firm.

Others booked by the CBI include directors Deepali Gupta, Rama Gupta, Jagjit Singh Chahal, Sanjeev Kumar, Vandana Singla, Ishrat Gill, and the firm's guarantors TN Goyal and Nirmal Bansal, and J.D. Gupta.

According to CBI officials, the firm was engaged in the manufacturing of drugs. It allegedly defrauded the consortium of banks through criminal conspiracy and forgery, and funneled loans it took for other uses.

In a statement, the Sonepat-based Ashoka University said, "The ED has sought information in the matter of investigations into the case of Parabolic Drugs where Ashoka University founders, Vineet Gupta and Pranav Gupta are directors."

"Ashoka University reiterates that Parabolic Drugs is in no way linked to Ashoka University. Ashoka University has no past or current relationship with Parabolic Drugs, the company being investigated, and any attempt to create a link is without any basis and misleading," it said.

It further said that Vineet and Pranav Gupta are "two among the more than 200 founders and donors of Ashoka University", who have contributed to Ashoka's creation and growth in their personal philanthropic capacity and whose individual businesses have absolutely no bearing on the university.

The CBI on December 31, 2021 has conducted searches at 12 locations in Chandigarh, Panchkula, Ludhiana, Faridabad and Delhi at the office and residential premises of the accused. During the searches, the CBI recovered incriminating documents, articles, and Rs 1.58 crore in cash.