Surat: A court in Ahmedabad has issued a bailable warrant against Ramesh Patel alias Michael, the notorious bootlegger from Daman, who was booked for money laundering last year.The warrant was issued after the Enforcement Directorate, which has filed a case under Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA) against him, filed a prosecution complaint against Michael on Monday. The complaint was filed in the court of principal district and sessions judge, Ahmedabad (rural)ED began investigations against the liquor racketeers Michael, his Bhanu, son Sanat and accomplice Feroz Anwarali Saiyed under the PMLA on the basis of FIRs and chargesheets filed by Gujarat police in 23 cases.The probe revealed that bootleggers from Surat would place orders for liquor through a WhatsApp message to Michael and his accomplices. The liquor would be supplied by creating forged invoices of plastic manufacturers and the consignment would be sent in shipping containers to mislead law enforcement agencies.The money for payment would be sent through angadia operators. The cash was either used to purchase properties or deposited in various bank accounts.Michael and Bhanu had acquired a liquor licence in the name of Sai Wines through illegal and forged partnership deeds and other documents. Also, licences were acquired in the name of Sai Enterprise, Sai Bar and Restaurant, Damania Enterprise and Krisha Wines, to procure large amounts of liquor from distilleries and traders in Daman.A large illegal warehouse used for stocking liquor was also discovered during the investigation and an illegal stock of liquor worth Rs. 2.5 crore was seized. A huge inventory shortage of liquor worth Rs 7.10 crore was found at the business premises of Damania Enterprise. Investigations revealed that cash amounting to Rs 411 crore was deposited in 16 bank accounts of various firms, of which Rs 98 crore was deposited in the bank accounts of Sai Wines only from 2010-11 to 2016-17.

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