New Delhi, Aug 2 (IANS): The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday said it has filed a charge sheet at a Ghaziabad court against a man who posed as an official from the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) and duped the general public.

The ED initiated money laundering investigation based on an FIR registered by the Uttar Pradesh Police against Mohammad Kashif.

The accused depicted himself to be a PMO and ED officer and extorted money from the general public in the name of getting their work done from government departments and Ministries.

During investigation, the ED conducted searches at Kashif's residence in Noida wherein cash amounting to Rs 1.10 crore, a currency-counting machine and documents related to probe conducted by various iagencies against other persons were recovered and seized.

These documents pertained to investigation conducted by the DRI, Customs, ED and ICAI.

During further investigation, it was found that by using the above modus operandi, Kashif had extorted Rs 1 crore from the family of a businessman in lieu of helping them in a case being investigated by the ED.

Besides, the probe also revealed that Kashif had purchased property worth Rs 1.78 crore, out of which he has paid Rs.1.05 crore in cash.

Apart from this, he had spent huge amount on his luxurious lifestyle, including high-end luxury cars, watches, designer clothes and multiple foreign trips, without any legitimate source of money.

The recovery of documents pertaining to other investigative agencies establishes the modus operandi devised by Kashif for extortion of money from general people.

"Based on the findings of investigation conducted under the provisions of PMLA, a Prosecution Complaint for offence committed by Mohammad Kashif under section 3 punishable under Section 4 of PMLA, 2002 has been filed and cash amounting to Rs.1,10,50,000 recovered and seized from his residence have been prayed for confiscation before the Special Court (PMLA), Ghaziabad," said an ED official.