CA of Lalu daughter held for laundering

New Delhi, May 23 

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested a chartered accountant in connection with its probe into a Rs 8,000-crore money laundering racket involving two Delhi-based businessmen and a few political entities.

The CA, Rajesh Kumar Agrawal, is also associated with some transactions involving a firm, allegedly linked to RJD chief Lalu Prasad’s daughter Misa Bharti, which is under scanner for suspected tax evasion, according to officials.

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Agrawal was arrested under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) late last evening, they said. The officials claimed the CA was “not cooperating” in the probe and he would be subjected to sustained interrogation once they obtained his custody from a competent court here.

Agrawal was arrested for allegedly being instrumental in providing accommodation entries (illegal funds) to launder the money of businessmen brothers Virendra and Surendra Jain. The agency has, however, now expanded its probe and brought all his dealings under scanner.

“Agrawal has played a pivotal role in the transactions between Jain brothers and Ms Jagat Projects Limited. He is also associated with some transactions involving Ms Mishail Packers and Printers Private Limited,” the agency said. 

The firm Mishail, allegedly linked to Misa Bharti, an MP, and close to two dozen entities linked to it are under scanner of the Income Tax Department in a Rs 1,000-crore dubious land deals case and the taxman had conducted multiple raids in this connection sometime back in and around the national capital. — PTI