HYDERABAD: Hyderabad High Court on Wednesday stayed the criminal case registered by city central crime police against former billiards champion
Michael Ferreira
and four others for allegedly duping unemployed youth with e-commerce jobs and fraudulent investment schemes.
Ferreira is facing several Related reports: P3 criminal cases in Mumbai and Hyderabad for allegedly aligning with fraudulent firms like Hong Kong-based QNet and Hyderabad-based Vihaan Direct Selling Marketing Pvt Ltd that duped youth to an extent of more than Rs 100 crore. A
Padma Bhushan awardee,
Ferreira
had surrendered before a Mumbai court on September 30. He was brought to Hyderabad on a transit warrant from a Mumbai jail. Along with four other associates, he has filed a petition before the Hyderabad HC urging it to quash the case against them. Appearing for Ferreira, senior counsel D V
Sitarama Murthy
told court that he was only a shareholder at Vihaan and hence has got nothing to do with dayto-day functioning. He has got nothing to do with the QNet company , the counsel said.
“In the two FIRs registered in Hyderabad following complaints by some people, the police have not even named Ferreira as an accused,“ he said. “Since Mumbai police advised the Hyderabad cops to seek his custody , they brought him here on a transit warrant without making out any case against him,“ the counsel said. “In fact, the Hyderabad High Court stayed the second FIR last week itself,“
Murthy said and urged the court to stay the case against him and other associates.“Ferreira is a 79-year-old distinguished Mumbai-based senior citizen and a former champion of Billiards,“ the counsel said.
The court sought police version by Friday . Following the stay, the criminal court in Hyderabad granted him bail and his custody was handed over to Mumbai police.