New Delhi, Feb 18 (IANS): The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday said that they have provisionally attached benami immovable properties worth Rs 25 crore belonging to the PPGD Sankar against whom 15 FIRs and three charge sheets have been filed by the Tamil Nadu Police in connection with a Prevention of Money Laundering case (PMLA)

The properties attached by ED are located in the suburbs of Chennai.

PPGD Sankar is facing prosecution for the offences of murder, extortions, robbery, dacoity and criminal conspiracy.

The ED initiated the investigation under PMLA, on the basis of the FIR registered by the Tamil Nadu Police.

The ED had conducted searches at various premises of PPGD Sankar and his associates. During the course of search, various incriminating property documents were found and seized under PMLA.

During the course of further investigation, various statements of the accused and his associates were recorded.

"ED unearthed various Benami Properties of PPGD Sankar which were purchased by him out of cash generated from extorting various people over a period of time. He could not explain any legal source of cash payments for acquiring the property and confessed during the course of investigation that such money, which was used by him to acquire such 79 properties, was not generated from any legal business but by extortion of various people over the period of time," said the ED official.

The accused had adopted a unique model of projecting the proceeds of crime as untainted property, by registering the properties by way of General Power of Attorney (GPA) in his name and keeping the ownership in Benami names in the official documents.

The GPA was used as an alternative to sale deeds. He had made the payment for such properties but did not register the properties in his name to safeguard himself, as there are many cases by police going against him.

Further investigation in the case is underway.