Enforcement Directorate attaches Rs 11.62 cr assets in National Highway-74 scam

Tribune News Service

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New Delhi, September 16

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) today said it has issued a provisional attachment order under the provision of Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, to seize movable and immovable assets worth Rs 11. 62 crore of Barinder Singh, Balwant Singh, Ramesh Kumar, Vikramjeet Singh, Mandeep Singh, Harjinder Singh, their family members and Fibremarx Papers Pvt. Ltd. of Jasdeep Singh Goraya in National Highway (NH)-74 scam case.

According to ED officials, the attached assets consist of 23 immovable properties, including agriculture, industrial land, commercial plots and buildings, situated at district Udham Singh Nagar of Uttarakhand and movable properties comprising funds lying in five bank accounts.

The officials said investigation under the PMLA was initiated on the basis of FIR and chargesheet filed by the Uttarakhand Police against Dinesh Pratap Singh and others revenue officers, farmers and middlemen.

In the chargesheet, it was alleged that DP Singh and Anil Shukla, the then revenue officials, working in the capacity of Competent Authority of Land Acquisition, entered into conspiracy with other public servants, farmers and middlemen for misappropriation of government funds by way of granting compensation at non-agriculture rate, which was much higher than the designated rate.

The ED probe also revealed that after receiving the compensation fraudulently by the land owners, funds were diverted to the account of various individuals and entities, the officials said.

Barinder Singh and Balwant Singh diverted the “proceeds of crime” to the tune of Rs 9 crore, whereas Harjinder Singh diverted funds to the tune of Rs 1 crore to the accounts of Jasdeep Singh Goraya and Mehak Kaur.