Madhya Pradesh: ED attaches immovable properties worth Rs 8.5 crore in Dhar Land case

New Delhi [India], January 30 (ANI): The Enforcement Directorate has provisionally attached movable and immovable properties amounting to Rs 8.5 crore under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002, in the case of Dhar Land Scam in Madhya Pradesh on Monday, said an official statement from the ED.
The attachment comprises the illegally occupied land parcel belonging to the Madhya Pradesh Government and also Proceeds of Crime generated by Sudhir Ratnakar Peter Das and others by further sale of part of said government land.
The attached properties comprise 56 immovable properties and two movable properties (fixed deposits), which are in the name of various persons including the main mastermind, Sudhir Ratnakar Peter Das.
ED initiated the investigation based on the FIR registered and the charge sheet filed by Madhya Pradesh Police for the offenses registered under various sections of IPC, 1860.
The subject land was given by the then Maharaja of Dhar, Anand Rao Pawar, to Dr (Miss) Margerate O' Hora of the Canadian Presbyterian Mission for the sole purpose of setting up a women' hospital and residential facility for the doctors. After Dr Hora left for Canada in 1927, the said land holding was abandoned and recorded as government land as per Misal Bandobast (government records) of 1927-28 in Dhar.
Thereafter, the subject government land was illegally alienated through a conspiracy hatched and executed by Sudhir Ratnakar Peter Das in connivance with various individuals and religious institutions.
It involved collusive proceedings before revenue and judicial authorities, obliterating records, manipulating records, etc. in collusion with private individuals as well as public officials.
ED investigation revealed that government land with an area of 3.567 hectares located in Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh was divided by Sudhir Das in connivance with other persons into various plots and sold to various persons fraudulently by making forged documents with deceitful and dishonest intentions to gain profit.
Further investigation is underway. (ANI)