The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday said that it has taken possession of 15 immovable properties owned by former Union Minister and DMK leader & MP A. Raja in the name of his ‘benami’ company, Kovai Shelters Promoters India Pvt Ltd., in connection with its probe into a disproportionate assets case.
The ED said that the agency has taken the possession of the properties under the Prevention of Money-Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA) in a disproportionate assets case.
The ED said that its probe revealed that Raja, during his tenure as Minister of Environment and Forests (2004 to 2007), granted Environmental Clearances to a real-estate company, based out of Gurugram (one of the largest real estate companies in the country, also listed on BSE).
It said that the real-estate company has given kickback to Raja as quid pro quo for awarding the Environmental Clearance, around the same period in the year 2007, in the garb of land commission income in the hands of the ‘benami company’ of Raja.
Raja had incorporated the company in 2007 in the name of his family members and his close family friend, with the sole objective of using it as a vehicle to park the proceeds of crime, it alleged.
“The said company never engaged in any business activity since inception,” the ED said.
The ED probe established that the properties measuring 45 acres of land in Tamil Nadu’s Coimbatore worth around Rs 55 crore were purchased directly using the proceeds of crime generated by Raja.
“Therefore, in order to prevent the accused and his benamis from enjoying such properties ED has invoked the provisions of Section 8(4) of PMLA and taken the possession of the properties attached vide Provisional Attachment Order dated December 20 last year, which was subsequently confirmed by the Adjudicating Authority (PMLA), Delhi vide order dated June 1 this year,” it added.
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