In a significant blow to QNet's Vihaan Direct Selling (India) Pvt Ltd, major courier service-providers, India Post and Blue Dart, have ceased parcel services following directives from the registrar of companies (RoC). The move comes amidst ongoing legal battles and criminal investigations against Vihaan for alleged fraudulent activities.
Last month, the senior superintendent of post offices from Bengaluru east division issued a directive to withhold services to Vihaan due to multiple criminal cases and legal proceedings against the company. Citing instructions from the regional office (RO), the letter stated the suspension of agreement renewal and parcel bookings with Vihaan, echoing concerns raised by the RoC.
Applauding the action, VC Sajjanar, additional director general of police (ADGP), Telangana, commended the government and private companies like Blue Dart for their stance against Ponzi schemes like QNet. He urged vigilance against such schemes to prevent further harm.
The steps taken by the Govt of India and private companies like Blue Dart against Ponzi schemes like #QnetScam are highly appreciated. Beware of such #ponzi schemes. #Don't Enroll in such schemes and scams #SayNoToMLM in India, avoid further deaths and suicides.@PIBHomeAffairs… pic.twitter.com/XmMgbbkY6i
— V.C. Sajjanar, IPS (@SajjanarVC) March 17, 2024
Having previously led investigations into the QNet scam, Mr. Sajjanar recalled the Cyberabad city police's crackdown on 58 independent representatives (IRs) of QNet during his tenure as commissioner, uncovering fraud cases amounting to Rs1,000 crore.
The Financial Frauds Victims Welfare Association (FFVWA) recently urged authorities and private entities to sever ties with QNet. At a press conference, Gurupreet Singh Anand, an aggrieved party in the QNet scandal, revealed TCI Express continues to service Vihaan despite terminations by India Post and Blue Dart.
Last year, the directorate of enforcement (ED) froze 36 bank accounts linked to Vihaan Direct Selling in connection with a money laundering case involving over Rs90 crore. ED's scrutiny dates back to 2014, when it initiated a case against QNet Ltd, Vihaan Direct Selling, and key individuals associated with the MLM operator.
In a further blow to Vihaan, the ministry of corporate affairs (MCA) and the department of consumer affairs initiated a winding-up petition against the company in August 2019, signaling heightened regulatory pressure on QNet's operations.
