Economic Offenses Wing of the Mumbai police detained Speak Asia COO Tarak Bajpai for questioning on Friday. The online survey company hit controversy in a multi-crore scam.The move comes just two days after CID froze the online survey company's bank accounts. Bajpai, who is the most prominent face of the online survey company's India operations will be flown from Indore to Mumbai.
Speak Asia is being investigated for a multi-level fraud. FIRs and PILs have been filed against it. The company has maintained that it collects money only for its online magazine and that the survey is just a benefit.
Kirit Somaiya said that three other officials of speak Asia are likely to be arrested soon. "Pranab Mukherjee had assured me that strong action would be done at the initial stage so that such frauds do not go on. Hope Pranab Mukherjee gives some assurance in Parliament this session," he said.
Tarak Bajpai is the face of Speak Asia's India operations. He mainly handled training, communication with members and hosted the retreat for Speak Asia investors in Goa this year. The Singapore-based company Speak Asia, which is yet to be incorporated as a company in India, would be inspected under section 591 of the Companies Act, which is applicable on companies incorporated outside India and has established a place of business within the country, sources said.
The company charges a membership fee is Rs 11,000 for a year. The members are expected to conduct online surveys for clients of the firm. Members are paid for conducting the surveys. The company said that it pays Rs 500 for every survey to its member.