Mangaluru: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has initiated a probe into properties connected to Mangaluru residents Roshan Saldanha and his wife, Dafney Neethu D’Souza, over their alleged involvement in a high-value financial scam.
Search operations were carried out by ED officials at five different premises across the city. The couple had previously been booked by police for allegedly duping several businesspersons. They reportedly collected large sums under the false assurance of securing low-interest loans, demanding payments for stamp duties—yet never delivering the promised funds.
Preliminary findings suggest that the accused swindled approximately ₹39 crore by operating multiple shell companies. During the raids, officials seized handwritten records and crucial financial documents linked to these bogus transactions.
Investigators discovered that the duo diverted the misappropriated funds for personal luxury, private business activities, and routed a chunk of the money through non-existent firms.
Bank accounts holding ₹3.75 crore have been frozen. Moreover, Roshan is believed to have funneled ₹5.75 crore—procured via fraudulent firms—to purchase five fishing vessels registered under his wife’s name. These boats have since been confiscated by authorities.
In total, assets worth nearly ₹9.5 crore have been either seized or blocked as part of the ongoing crackdown. The ED has confirmed that further inquiries are progressing to uncover the full scale of the operation.