Money laundering case: ED interrogates actress Navya Nair on links with IRS officer Sachin Sawant

The Enforcement Directorate interrogated Malayalam actress Navya Nair with her alleged links with IRS officer Sachin Sawant who is involved in a money laundering case in Mumbai.

Mumbai: The charge sheet for the money laundering case against IRS officer Sachin Sawant was presented by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). Following corruption allegations against him for allegedly accumulating assets that were out of proportion to his salary, Sachin was detained in June. According to sources, the ED also found connections between the accused officer and Malayalam movie actress Navya Nair, whose statement was recorded in the case.

The FIR that formed the basis of the case revealed that Sawant and his family members owned assets totaling 2.46 crores. The Sawant family's total assets were worth Rs 1.4 lakh in 2011, but by 2022 they had grown to Rs 2.1 crore. When ED looked into the money trail, they found that Sawant had given Navya some expensive gifts, including gold jewellery.

Navya made it clear in her statement that the jewellery and presents were given out of friendship and that she had no other connection to the IRS officer. She claimed that she became friends with Sawant while they were neighbours in Mumbai. She also arranged his visit to Guruvayur Temple.

Additionally, Navya mentioned that Sachin gave her child some jewellery for his birthday. Navya said that she told ED the same. The ED interrogated Navya Nair and recorded her statements.

The Nandanam actress and Sawant were dating, according to ED officials. To meet her, Sawant had made eight to ten trips to Cochin. Navya, when questioned by the ED, denied any relationship and said that "they were simply friends."