CBI Probes Senior Maharashtra IPS Officer; Suspects Shell Firm Network Exists Only On Paper

Mumbai, April 8: A senior Maharashtra Police officer of Inspector General (IG) rank is under the scanner of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) after investigators uncovered that multiple firms linked to his family are registered at addresses that physically correspond to small retail shops and unrelated offices, raising serious doubts about their existence. Preliminary findings suggest that these companies—allegedly used to facilitate the layering of illicit funds—may largely exist only on paper. The probe is linked to allegations that the officer provided “protection” to an illegal call centre racket in Igatpuri, with the corporate network now under scrutiny for its suspected role in routing proceeds of cyber fraud.

Consultancy LLP under scrutiny

The officer, who is already facing separate allegations in the Ashok Kharat case, is being linked to a financial consultancy Limited Liability Partnership (LLP) incorporated in 2023. The firm claims to facilitate debt syndication, project financing, and structured funding for businesses through banks and non-banking financial companies (NBFCs). However, preliminary findings have raised serious questions about its operational existence.

Investigators found that a financial consultancy LLP, registered at a shop in Thane, appears to exist only on paper. A field inspection by The Free Press Journal found no such establishment at the location. While a retail grocery store operates at the site, there was no trace of the specified shop unit or any registered business operating there, suggesting the possibility of a non-operational or paper-based entity.

In the LLP, the officer’s son and wife are listed as designated partners. The firm has a paid-up capital of Rs 15,000 and is classified under financial consultancy services. It has no publicly available disclosures relating to revenue, operations, or client activity.

Multiple firms and address irregularities

Agencies also flagged an attempt to shift the firm’s address to a commercial IT park in Wagle Industrial Estate, Thane. This same premises is simultaneously linked to a second consultancy LLP, incorporated in November 2023, which is also under the scanner. Like the first entity, this firm lists the officer’s son as a partner and appears to operate as an unlisted professional services outfit engaged in consultancy and advisory work, particularly in capital advisory and financial structuring.

However, officials found that this premises, like that of the first firm, does not have any verifiable presence of the company. The listed address is already occupied by an unrelated chartered accountant firm, reinforcing suspicions that both entities may have used these locations as fronts.

Shell entity characteristics observed

Both entities, linked to the officer’s immediate family and incorporated within a short span in 2023, display characteristics commonly associated with shell structures, including minimal capitalisation, absence of operational disclosures, and overlapping or unverifiable office addresses. Officials note that such patterns—non-functional premises, shared or reused addresses, and lack of financial transparency—are often consistent with entities created for documentation rather than substantive commercial activity.

Additional LLPs under lens

Investigators have also identified two additional LLPs, incorporated in 2023 and linked to the officer’s son, which are now under scrutiny for their lack of verifiable business activity and operational transparency. The first entity is registered in Antop Hill, Mumbai, while the second is located in Vartak Nagar, Thane. Both are classified under real estate activities and report capital contributions of Rs 1 lakh and Rs 5 lakh, respectively.

However, officials said that despite their formal classification, there is no evidence of any corresponding business infrastructure, project execution, or client-facing operations linked to either entity. Investigators noted that no supporting disclosures, such as project filings, development agreements, site activity, or financial performance records, are available in the public domain or through preliminary verification checks. This absence of operational data has raised concerns about whether the firms are functioning business units or merely registered entities without substantive activity.

Wife and daughter-linked firms examined

Separately, a real estate LLP linked to the senior police officer’s wife, incorporated in 2022 and registered with the ROC Mumbai, is also under examination. The firm, listed as active and classified under real estate activities, has its registered office in Bhiwandi. However, a physical verification of the address reportedly found a grocery operating at the premises, with no visible indication of any corporate office presence.

Similar to other LLPs in the cluster under examination, another entity linked to the senior officer’s daughter has also come under review in connection with its corporate filings, ownership linkages, and address verification records. Incorporated in 2019 and engaged in hospitality-related activities, the LLP has its registered office in Ambernath. The entity has a reported capital contribution of approximately Rs 30,000 and operates as a privately held, unlisted firm. According to available public records, no audited turnover figures or detailed financial performance data have been disclosed beyond statutory filings over the past five years.

Probe into financial links continues

Officials said that across the entities under review, recurring red flags have emerged, including unverifiable office addresses, minimal capitalisation, limited disclosures, and repeated use of commercial premises without corresponding business presence.

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The agency is now analysing financial transactions, ownership structures, and interlinkages between these firms to determine whether they were used as conduits for routing proceeds linked to the Igatpuri cyber fraud network and other suspected illegal operations. The probe also seeks to establish the extent of the officer’s knowledge and involvement in the functioning of these entities.

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