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The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has summoned Bollywood actor Dino Morea and his brother Santino Morea for questioning next week in connection with the alleged Rs 65 Crore Mithi River desilting and cleaning scam, officials said on Friday.

The summons came after ED officials conducted a 14-hour-long search and questioning sessions at the Morea brothers’ premises in Mumbai on Friday. 

Sources said the summons were issued after it came to light that the actor’s brother, Santino Morea, had co-founded UBO Ridez Pvt. Ltd., an electric cart company, along with Punita Ketan Kadam, the wife of arrested middleman Ketan Kadam. Kadam is believed to have played a central role in the multi-crore Mithi River desilting scam.

UBO Ridez, Pvt.Ltd incorporated in December 2017, introduced electric carriages to replace the banned Victoria horse-drawn carts in Mumbai. As per official records, both Punita Kadam and Santino Morea hold equal (50 percent) stakes in the company. Agency have traced an investment of Rs 18 lakh, allegedly made by the arrested accused Ketan Kadam into UBO Ridez, which is now under scrutiny.

Although Dino Morea holds no official position in the firm, his long-standing personal association with Kadam spanning over two decades has placed him under the agency’s scanner. The central agency is probing whether the investment and other assets linked to UBO Ridez were funded through proceeds of crime from the alleged Rs 65 crore scam.

Dino Morea and others have been asked to appear before the agency next week to record his statement under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). His brother Santino Morea has also been directed to join the investigation.

Apart from Dino Morea and his brother, ED also summoned eight more accused and suspects linked to scam for questioning.

During Friday’s raids across 18 locations in Mumbai, Kochi, and Thrissur, the ED seized Rs 7 lakh in cash and froze 22 bank accounts, fixed deposits (FDRs), and one demat account. The total value of assets seized or frozen so far is over Rs 1.25 crore (approx). Additionally, several digital devices and incriminating documents relevant to further proceedings under the PMLA have been recovered.

Sources said the ED has identified seven bank accounts linked to Dino Morea and five accounts in the name of Santino Morea, into which Ketan Kadam transferred ₹18 lakh. However, these accounts have not been frozen, as officials stated that the funds are currently being treated as investments in the firm and there is no direct evidence suggesting a link to the scam. The agency is still scrutinizing the details and examining the nature of the transactions.

The search operations targeted office and residential premises linked to several individuals and entities, including Prashant Ramgude (BMC Engineer), Bhupendra Purohit (BMC Contractor), M/s Matprop Technical Services Pvt Ltd, Jay Joshi (Director, M/s Virgo Specialties Pvt Ltd), Ketan Kadam (Controller, M/s Woder India LLP), and Santino Rocco Morea/Dino Morea, identified as close associates of Ketan Kadam.

According to ED official statement, Evidence gathered during the investigation and the aforementioned search operations prima facie indicates that Prashant Ramgude, Bhupendra Purohit, Jay Joshi, Ketan Kadam, and officials from M/s Matprop Technical Services Pvt Ltd colluded to form a cartel. Their intent was to manipulate BMC tenders related to the desilting of the Mithi River.

“This cartel effectively monopolized the award of desilting contracts, secured inflated payments for the work, and generated undue financial gains for contractors and associated parties, ultimately causing a significant loss to the public exchequer,” the central agency said.

These undue financial gains have been concealed by layering them through certain shell companies and firms, which were formed by collusion amongst Ketan Kadam,  Bhupendra Purohit,  Prashant Ramgude and other private individuals.