The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday conducted raids at as many as 10 locations that are tied to the well-known coaching institute FIITJEE. This is in connection with the allegations of money laundering according to PTI. These locations are spread across Delhi and NCR.
The ongoing search includes properties that are linked to FIITJEE’s founder DK Goel and are part of a wider investigation into the alleged financial crisis and irregularities. Earlier this year, several FIITJEE centers had unexpected shutdowns, which had grabbed the media’s attention.
the investigation revealed the abrupt shutdown of hundreds of FIITJEE centers disrupted the academic journey of nearly 12,000 students, causing widespread panic and disappointment. Despite this massive system failure, the institute’s owners allegedly pocketed profits in hefty amounts, which fueled the anger and frustration among parents and students alike.
The Enforcement Directorate stepped in following earlier action by the Noida Police, who had already frozen over 300 bank accounts linked to FIITJEE and seized ₹60 lakh in cash.
The controversy first erupted in late January when several centers—including those in Ghaziabad’s Raj Nagar, Noida’s Sector 62, and Greater Noida—suddenly shut down, leaving students stranded just ahead of crucial exams and parents who had already paid the tuition fees in advance. Legal action followed swiftly.
The first FIR was lodged in Ghaziabad, naming four individuals. A second FIR came on January 24 in Noida, implicating nine FIITJEE officials, while a third case was registered in Greater Noida’s Knowledge Park police station, listing four more individuals.
FIITJEE released an official statement on January 25 after facing major backlash; it tried to distance itself from the controversy. The institute claimed that the abrupt closures were the result of “mismanagement and desertion” by its managing partners, insisting it was not a decision made at the institutional level.
FIITJEE further alleged that rival coaching firms had been poaching its faculty members and firmly denied claims that teachers had quit over unpaid salaries. Labeling the accusations a “criminal conspiracy orchestrated by individuals with vested interests,” the institute stated that its legal team was actively pursuing action against what it called “malicious prosecutions.”