CBI forms 4 teams to push Pearls scam probe

CBI has formed four teams to speed up the probe into the Rs 45,000 crore ponzi scam involving the Pearls Group in which the agency has examined 180 witnesses and so far deciphered land records related to deals worth Rs 4,000 crore.
CBI sources said the teams will give "four times" the manpower to probe the scam in which over 5 crore investors lost their hard-earned money.
The sources said that the mammoth probe spread across many states and reaching abroad required enough manpower to examine and analyse the company's 1,000 bank accounts and 1,300 Fixed Deposit Receipts.
They said Rs 278 crore has been frozen of which Rs 108 crore has been transferred to the Registrar of Delhi High Court as per the orders of May, 2014.

The sources added that over 10,000 documents have been seized related to title deeds and transfer deeds covering land purchases worth Rs 4,000 crore.
So far, 180 witnesses have been examined by the agency and 30 searches have been conducted at various locations, they said, adding that CBI is regularly in touch with other probe agencies, including SEBI, Enforcement Directorate and Income Tax Department in connection with the investigation.
CBI sources said here today that the agency is taking the probe in the case very seriously and the four teams have been constituted to go into the various facets of the case simultaneously with a view to concluding the investigation as soon as possible.