The Enforcement Directorate (ED) stated on Wednesday that it has taken possession of ‘Sai Resort NX’, constructed on land located in Murud, Dapoli, Ratnagiri, falling under Coastal Regulation Zone (No Development Zone) in connection with a money laundering probe against Anil Dattatray Parab, former Maharashtra minister..
“The action has been initiated after the Adjudicating Authority for PMLA confirmed the provisional attachment of assets worth Rs 10.20 crore,” said an official.
The ED initiated the investigation based on a complaint filed by the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change against Parab, Sai Resort, Sea Conch Resort, and others before the Judicial Magistrate, Dapoli, for violation of Section 19 and Section 15 read with Section 7 of the Environment (Protection) Act.
At a later stage, an FIR was also registered at the Dapoli Police Station under various sections of the IPC.
During the investigation, the Dapoli Police found various other crimes related to offences under various sections of the IPC and the Prevention of Corruption Act, which were also included in the FIR.
“The ED Investigation has revealed that Parab and his close associate, Sadanand Kadam, hatched a conspiracy and obtained illegal permission from the revenue department authorities, state of Maharashtra, through forgery & misdeclaration for the construction of twin bungalow (Ground + 1 Floor) on a piece of agricultural land falling under the “No Development Zone” and subsequently constructed an illegal resort, namely “Sai Resort NX,” having Ground + 2 Floors in blatant disregard of CRZ-III rules and regulations,” said the official.
The official stated that the permission for the construction of the twin bungalow was obtained in the name of the earlier owner without his knowledge, and even the revenue department authorities, knowing well that any construction is prohibited over the said piece of agricultural land, granted permission because of undue pressure and influence. Thereafter, the gram panchayat was deceived, misled, cheated, and pressurised to transfer the land along with the building in the name of Anil Parab to legitimize the illegal construction of “Sai Resort NX.
Anil Parab, with the intent to utilize his unaccounted money and conceal his identity as the real owner, paid expenses for construction in cash before the registration of land in his name so that in the future, if any violation comes to light, the onus could be shifted to the erstwhile owner.
When various complaints regarding the illegal construction of Sai Resort NX came under media scrutiny, a benami transaction was executed wherein Anil Parab sold the said land on paper to Sadanand Kadam to conceal the illegalities and irregularities vis-a-vis the construction of the resort within CRZ-III, i.e., the No Development Zone.
During the course of the investigation, the ED attached assets worth Rs 10.20 crore in the form of land located at Gut No.446, Murud, Dapoli, Ratnagiri, valued at Rs 2,73,91,000, and Sai Resort NX, constructed on the said land, valued at Rs 7,46,47,000.
The Adjudicating Authority for PMLA confirmed the provisional attachment of these assets.
The ED has arrested two persons, Sadanand Kadam, and Jayram Deshpande, the then SDO, Dapoli. It filed a Prosecution Complaint on May 6.
Further investigation into the matter is ongoing.
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