EOW to summon film award firms official for questioning in connection with the QNet case

Admin   |   03 July, 2015   |   2039   |   3980

MUMBAI: The city economic offences wing (EOW) is likely to summon the authorities of a well-known Bollywood film award organization in connection with a cheating firm taking part in the award ceremony as one of the sponsors.

The EOW is probing the role of QNet, a self-proclaimed marketing firm, in the Rs 425 crore cheating case. Cops say the firm has duped over a lakh investors. Gurpreet Singh Anand, who had filed an FIR against QNet with the EOW, had last month submitted and application to the D D Kamalakar, joint commissioner of police (EOW) stating QNet's role in sponsoring a film award show.

Anand stated in the fresh complaint that the "purpose of sponsoring awards is to further the Qnet scam in India and create an image that it is a respectable brand". The EOW has so far arrested 17 persons for allegedly duping investors by selling Qnet products including magnetic disks, herbal products and holiday schemes through allegedly fraudulent means. World Billiard champion Maichel Fererra, was also accused in this case. He approached the court and was granted anticipatory bail. "We are investigating the complaints and planning to summon the authorities of the award organization to inquire as to who recommended QNet and who had cleared its name as one of the sponsors," said a police officer connected to the probe. The award organsation listed QNet as one of the "official direct selling partners".

"The award organization committee should have verified QNet's credentials before appointing it as one of the sponsors. The money QNet might have given is, in fact, public's money earned through wrong means," said the officer. QNet has been accused of using the banned "binary pyramid business model", and a case has been registered under the Prize, Chits and Money Circulation Schemes (Banning) Act, 1978.