MUMBAI, May 11 -- The Mumbai zonal office of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday conducted searches at four premises in Mumbai and Surat in connection with the money-laundering case registered against Platinum Hern Pvt Ltd, which allegedly defrauded thousands of investors in a multi-crore Ponzi scheme promoted through its Torres Jewellery stores. The ED's investigation is based on an FIR registered by the APMC police in Vashi, Navi Mumbai, against the firm, its directors, and senior executives allegedly involved in the fraud. Platinum Hern had allegedly lured its customers to pay huge sums for diamonds and other jewellery. "Following instructions from Oleksandr Zapichenko alias Alex (an associate) and Olena Stoian (former director), Alpesh Khara, the key person, not only facilitated cash collection from Torres showrooms across Mumbai but also converted it into USDT cryptocurrency," said an ED official. On March 26, the ED arrested Khara, who is currently in judicial custody. Officials said Khara was a well-known Angadia (network of individuals who transport cash, diamonds, and jewellery) franchise owner. The franchise has branches across India, through which huge sums of money were transferred. The ED's searches were carried out in Angadia premises in Mumbai and Surat. The searches resulted in the seizure of Rs.6.30 crore and some digital devices. Earlier on January 23, the agency carried out searches in Mumbai and Jaipur, and seized Rs.21.75 crore.HTC...