A special court in Mumbai has permitted a Ukrainian national, arrested in connection with a multi-crore money laundering case involving the Torres investment scam, to use an English-to-Russian translation dictionary while in judicial custody.
The accused, Tazagul Xasatov, submitted that she is not proficient in English and sought permission to use the dictionary both for recreation and to comprehend the legal charges levelled against her. The alleged scam, linked to Platinum Hern Pvt Ltd which operated under the brand ‘Torres Jewellery’, came to light in early 2025.
The special court under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), presided over by Judge R.B. Rote, allowed her application earlier this month, noting that an accused has the right to understand the allegations against them.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED), which is investigating the money trail, objected to her plea, arguing that Xasatov had been residing in India for a significant period and was conversant in both English and Hindi. The agency expressed concern that permitting the use of the dictionary could assist other accused persons in the case or otherwise disrupt the investigation.
However, Judge Rote rejected the ED’s apprehensions, stating there was no concrete evidence to support such claims and held that “no prejudice would be caused” by granting the request. He directed the jail authorities to allow Xasatov to access the English-to-Russian wordbook.
The ED’s case is based on an FIR lodged by the Navi Mumbai Police, alleging that Platinum Hern Pvt Ltd, under the brand name Torres Jewellery, defrauded investors after collecting large sums of money from customers by promising the sale of Moissanite diamonds and other luxury jewellery.
Instead of utilising the funds for legitimate business activities, the proceeds were allegedly siphoned off through hawala operators and later converted into USDT, a form of cryptocurrency.
The case remains under investigation, with multiple accused and complex financial trails being scrutinised by the ED.
