ED questions car designer Dilip Chhabria in money laundering case

New Delhi: India's top car designer and DC Motors promoter Dilip Chhabria appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday to join the probe in connection with a case lodged against him under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

His questioning is still going on in the matter. An ED team of joint director-level officers is recording his statement. After recording his statement, Chhabria will be confronted with the evidences collected by the probe agency.

In July, the ED had conducted searches at six locations belonging to Chhabria in Mumbai and Pune. The searches had led to the recovery of different kinds of digital evidence.

The ED had registered the money laundering case on the basis of three FIRs lodged by the Crime Intelligence Unit (CIU) and Economic Offences Wing of Mumbai Police.

Chhabria was placed under arrest by CIU in December 2020 for taking loans from non-banking financial companies by impersonating himself as a customer who wanted to buy DC car.

The loans were not repaid after which the case was lodged. Chhabria allegedly borrowed Rs 42 lakh per car. He was booked for cheating, forgery etc.

Chhabria incorporated his firm in 1993 to provide designs and other services to the automobile industry. He also offered customised solutions to individual buyers.

Comedian Kapil Sharma had also lodged an FIR against Chhabria for allegedly cheating him.