New Delhi, May 9 (IANS): The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday said that they have attached properties worth Rs 51.40 crore in the illegal coal levy extortion scam that took place in Chhattisgarh.
According to the ED, the 90 immovable properties, luxurious vehicles, jewellery and cash belong to IAS Ranu Sahu and Suryakant Tiwari; MLAs Devender Yadav and Chandradev Prasad Rai; R.P. Singh; Vinod Tiwari and Ram Gopal Agarwal.
During the investigation, direct evidence of the financial linkages of the above persons with Suryakant Tiwari were established and assets created by layering of the proceeds of crime or equivalent assets were identified for attachment proceedings under PMLA 2002.
Earlier, the ED had attached properties worth Rs 170 Crore belonging to Suryakant Tiwari, IAS Sameer Vishnoi and Saumya Chaurasia, Sunil Agarwal and others.
Total attachment in this case has reached Rs 221.5 Crore.
The ED initiated money laundering investigation based on the FIR lodged on the complaint of Income Tax Department. Searches at more than 145 premises have been conducted and so far none accused persons have been arrested under the PMLA.
All of them are in the judicial custody.
Two prosecution complaints have been filed in a PMLA court against Suryakant Tiwari, Chaurasia, Vishnoi and others.
The ED investigation has established that proceeds of crime worth Rs 540 crore were acquired in this extortion racket.