PMLA cases: ED attaches assets of Opposition leaders' kin

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 5

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) today said it had issued a provisional attachment order under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) to seize assets worth Rs 4.81 crore belonging to family members and the firms linked to Satyendar Jain, a minister in the Arivind Kejriwal-led Delhi government, as part of its probe into a disproportionate assets case against the AAP leader.

Besides, the ED has provisionally attached assets worth more than Rs 11.15 crore of Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut’s wife and two of his associates in a money-laundering investigation linked to certain land deals. Jain, who is minister for health, power, home, PWD, industries, urban development, flood, irrigation and water in the Delhi government, was questioned by the ED in 2018 in connection with case.

The ED said the attached immovable properties belonged to Akinchan Developers Pvt Ltd, Indo Metal Impex Pvt Ltd, Paryas Infosolutions Pvt Ltd, Manglayatan Projects Pvt Ltd, JJ Ideal Estate Pvt Ltd, Swati Jain, wife of Vaibhav Jain, Sushila Jain, wife of Ajit Prasad Jain, and Indu Jain, wife of Sunil Jain.

The ED added that in its probe, the investigators found that “during 2015-16, when Satyendar Jain was a public servant, the companies beneficially owned and controlled by him received accommodation entries to the tune of Rs 4.81 crore from shell companies against cash transferred to Kolkata-based entry operators through the hawala route”.

“These amounts were utilised for direct purchase of land or for repayment of loan taken for the purchase of agricultural land in and around Delhi,” it alleged.

Meanwhile, Raut, who has been accusing the BJP-led Union Government of misusing Central agencies against its opponents, alleged that was an act of vengeance and said the ED’s claims against him would fall flat.

The attached properties are in form of lands held by Pravin M Raut, former director of Guru Ashish Construction Pvt Ltd, in Palghar and Thane districts, a flat in Mumbai’s suburban Dadar area of Sanjay Raut’s wife Varsha Raut and eight plots at Kihim beach in Alibaug jointly held by Varsha Raut and Swapna Patkar, the agency said.

Swapna Patkar is the wife of Sujit Patkar who, according to the ED, is a close associate of Sanjay Raut.

Gadkari at pawar’s dinner meet for MLAs

• At a time when political opponents are at loggerheads in Maharashtra, leaders of all parties, including the BJP, spent the evening on Tuesday together over dinner at the residence of NCP supremo Sharad Pawar.
• Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut, parliamentarians and legislators from Maharashtra were present at Pawar’s 6, Janpath residence here. PTI

TMC MP, wife move SC against ED summons

New Delhi: The SC on Tuesday agreed to take up next week a petition by TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee and his wife Rujira challenging a Delhi HC order dismissing their plea for quashing summons issued to them by the ED in a Bengal coal scam related money laundering case. “We will list it next week,” a Bench led by CJI NV Ramana told senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing the couple. TNS

Will not be cowed down by such moves

The ED action is attack on ‘middle-class Marathi manoos’. I will not be cowed by such moves and resist any act to pressure me. — Sanjay Raut, Shiv Sena MP

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