Enforcement Directorate targets public servants under PMLA
Action had been taken in three important cases connected with government servants in Uttar Pradesh, one in 'Smarak' case where it was suspected that government servants caused loss of more than Rs 1400 crore to the state government.
In Short
- Nationwide raids carried out
- Eighteen premises searched in ten states
- More action likely to follow
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday conducted nationwide raids under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) cases involving government officials including those working in central public sector units and state government.
Sources said the searches had been conducted at 18 premises across ten states. ED had registered many cases under PMLA against these officials on the basis of FIRs registered by the law enforcement agencies such as CBI and state vigilance department.
Action had been taken in three important cases connected with government servants in Uttar Pradesh, one in 'Smarak' case where it was suspected that government servants caused loss of more than Rs 1400 crore to the state government.
Second in the case of officials connected with Yadav Singh corruption case where property worth Rs 20 crore approximately has already been seized by ED.
Third action has been taken in National Human Health Mission (NRHM) scam in which government servants and several ministers had allegedly misused government funds and till now ED has attached proceeds of crime over Rs 250 crore. The searches had been carried out on officers of the top rank like Directorate General (Health), Project Engineers and Director of UP Jal Nigam.
The searches were also carried out on the premises of an IAS officer of West Bengal, on the basis of case registered against him under the PMLA by the West Bengal Government. It is alleged that the said IAS officer, in connivance with some engineers, had released Rs 60 crore by manipulation of tender documents.
Searches were also conducted in Delhi in cases of three retired officers of the State Trading Corporation (STC) including one ex-CMD. These officers had allowed transactions between STC and private parties which caused huge losses to STC. They had also approved credit limits to private parties against interests of STC.
In Tamil Nadu searches had been carried out against bank officials, who had allegedly sanctioned loans for extended credit facilities to private parties without obtaining proper documents / collateral securities and without following norms thus causing financial loss to the banks. Action had also been taken against one branch manager of State Cooperative Bank in Chhattisgarh who had allegedly acquired disproportionate assets by misusing his position.
Premises of one former Principal Chief Engineer of Public Work Department (PWD) in Goa were also searched. It is alleged that the officer had helped the former chief minister for concealing the main noting file of awarding of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in Goa and he, on one occasion delivered inappropriate payment to the former PWD Minister in Goa government.
Action had been carried out against one chief fire officer in Rajasthan government who had earlier been booked by Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), Rajasthan for accepting bribe for issuance of no objection certificate to a hospital.
New currency notes of Rs 2000 amounting Rs 41.06 lakh had been found by ACB, Rajasthan from his premises during the demonetization period. In Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu action had been taken against certain officials of Employees Provident Fund Office (EPFO). One of these officers was allegedly involved in financial irregularities and had transferred EPFO funds of around Rs 2 crore to the accounts of his relatives and family members while the other officer had been caught while accepting bribe from one private institute for extending undue favors.
An officer who was working as managing director of Kaveri Neeravari Nigam Limited (Irrigation Corporation) in Karnataka was also under scanner on the basis of a disproportionate assets case against him filed by ACB.
In another case Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer of Hyderabad who had allegedly committed irregularities of Rs 8 crore while working Andhra Pradesh Women's Co-operative Finance Corporation (APWCFC), Hyderabad was also examined.
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