Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai
Mumbai, Jul 3: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has intensified its probe into the Vasai-Virar Municipal Corporation (VVMC) land scam, conducting fresh searches at 16 locations across Mumbai on July 1 under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.
The searches, linked to the case involving Jayesh Mehta and others, resulted in the freezing of assets worth approximately Rs 12.71 crore in bank accounts, fixed deposits, and mutual funds, along with the seizure of Rs 26 lac in cash and a trove of incriminating documents and digital devices, a statement issued by the agency said on Thursday.
The investigation stems from multiple FIRs registered by the Mira Bhayandar Police Commissionerate against builders, local operatives, and VVMC officials. The case revolves around the illegal construction of 41 residential-cum-commercial buildings on government and private land that was designated for sewage treatment and waste disposal as per the city’s development plan.
These structures, built since 2009, were sold to unsuspecting buyers using forged approval documents, despite the developers being fully aware of their unauthorised status. The Bombay High Court had ordered the demolition of all 41 buildings on July 8, 2024. A Special Leave Petition filed by affected families was dismissed by the Supreme Court, and the demolition was carried out by VVMC on February 20, 2025.
The ED’s probe has revealed a deep-rooted nexus involving architects, chartered accountants, liaison agents, and VVMC officials. Digital evidence recovered during the raids points to widespread corruption, the use of black money, and manipulation of official approvals. The cartel is believed to have enabled large-scale illegal construction by exploiting regulatory gaps and forging documentation.
Earlier raids in May uncovered Rs 8.68 crore in cash and diamond-studded jewellery and bullion worth Rs 23.25 crore, exposing the scam’s massive scale. Among those under scrutiny is a senior VVMC official from the town planning department, whose premises yielded significant unaccounted assets.
The ED has confirmed that the investigation is ongoing, with a focus on tracing the money trail and identifying other beneficiaries involved in the scam.