In connection with a money laundering investigation pertaining to an alleged ₹65 crore Mithi river desilting fraud, Bollywood performer Dino Morea appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in Mumbai on Thursday. As he entered the office, he appeared at ease and grinned for the cameras.

Dino Morea is brought before the ED for interrogation

In paparazzi videos, Dino appears at ease as he enters the ED office. He seemed confident and even grinned for the cameras before entering, wearing jeans, a white shirt, and a backpack. Before the photographers there directed him appropriately, he nearly took the wrong route. The ED summoned him, and he arrived to the federal agency's Ballard Estate office at about 10:30 a.m. Following news breaking in May, Dino had stayed out of sight of the cameras during his last performance.

Dino Morea's homes are subjected to ED searches

The PTI news agency reported that the ED carried out searches at over 15 sites in Mumbai, Kochi, and Kerala on June 6, including Dino's residences in Bandra West. Official sources report that several contractors, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) officials, and the locations connected to his brother Santino were also investigated.

The inquiry is being carried out in accordance with the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The ED case is based on a Mumbai Police Economic Offenses Wing (EOW) FIR filed in May against 13 individuals, including contractors and municipal employees, for an alleged ₹65.54 crore scam involving tenders issued between 2017 and 2023 for desilting of the Mithi river, which runs through Mumbai and serves as the city's stormwater drainage system.

The Mumbai police also interrogated Dino and his brother last month in this matter for their purported connection to Jai Joshi, the accused middleman, and Ketan Kadam. As part of a money laundering investigation connected to an alleged bank fraud case against the Gujarat-based pharmaceutical company Sterling Biotech and its promoters, the ED attached Dino's assets in 2021.