ED Hyderabad Zonal Office Makes History with First Auction of Seized Hawker 800A Aircraft
HYDERABAD: In a first, the Directorate of Enforcement (ED), Hyderabad Zonal Office, auctioned a seized Hawker 800A aircraft for ₹3 crore through MSTC Limited. The auction took place on July 1, 2026, as part of a money laundering investigation under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.
ED officers seized the aircraft on March 7, 2025, during a search at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport. The action was linked to a money laundering case involving Capital Protection Force Pvt. Ltd., its promoter Amardeep Kumar and others.
ED secured court approval before auction
After the seizure, the ED approached the Adjudicating Authority under the PMLA. The authority confirmed the seizure on August 18, 2025.
The agency later sought permission under Rule 4(2) of the Prevention of Money Laundering (Taking Possession of Attached or Frozen Properties Confirmed by the Adjudicating Authority) Rules, 2013, to sell the aircraft.
The Adjudicating Authority granted permission on November 20, 2025.
The auction fetched ₹3 crore. The ED said it will seek the Special Court’s approval to use the sale proceeds for restitution to genuine investors.
Probe concerns alleged ₹792-crore invoice discounting fraud
The ED launched its money laundering probe based on three FIRs registered by the Economic Offences Wing, Cyberabad. The cases named Falcon Group, Capital Protection Force Pvt. Ltd., its Chairman and Managing Director Amardeep Kumar, and others.
According to the ED, the accused ran a bogus invoice discounting scheme and cheated investors of about ₹792 crore. The agency alleged that they promised high returns through invoice discounting but never carried out genuine invoice discounting business.
The ED earlier arrested three accused in the case. They include Sandeep Kumar, brother of Amardeep Kumar; chartered accountant Sharad Chandra Toshniwal; and Aryan Singh Chhabra, Chief Executive Officer of Falcon Invoice Discounting.
The agency filed a prosecution complaint before the jurisdictional court on September 29, 2025.
The ED said it will continue tracing and confiscating proceeds of crime, prosecuting the accused, and helping genuine victims recover attached assets in accordance with the law.
Further investigation is underway.
