The CBI has booked a former secretary of Cochin Port Trust (Kerala) in a disproportionate assets case.
The accused Cyril C George is presently Deputy Chairman and had allegedly amassed assets disproportionate to his known sources of income to the tune of about Rs 90,73,582 during the check period from January 1, 2004 to December 31, 2013 in his name and in the name of his family members. The alleged corruption occurred during his tenure as Secretary in the Trust.
Following the registration of the case, searches were conducted at the office and residential premises of the accused which led to recovery of incriminating documents including sale deeds, various bank account details, share certificates, statement of immovable property and mutual fund receipts among others, the CBI said in a statement, adding further investigation in the case is continuing.
Meanwhile, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested former IAS officer Babulal Agrawal under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in a case related to corruption, cheating, forgery and disproportionate assets.
“He has been arrested for laundering the proceeds generated out of criminal
offences, through shell companies and integrating the same in the business of his family members. He was arrested from his residence in Raipur on 09.11.2020. He was produced before the Special Court (PMLA), Raipur, Chhattisgarh which granted his custody to the ED till 12.11.2020,” the ED said in a statement.
The ED initiated investigation under PMLA on the basis of FIR registered by ACB, Chhattisgarh provisions of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 which discloses the disproportionate assets allegedly amassed by Agrawal and his family members, pursuant to search action conducted by the Income Tax Department in February 2010 at his premises, his Chartered Accountant Sunil Agrawal and the members of his family.
Subsequently, a slew of FIRs or chargesheets registered/filed by CBI against Agrawal were also taken up for investigation by ED under PMLA.
Investigation under PMLA revealed that Babulal Agrawal played an active role in splitting the tender contracts related to the World Bank aided Malaria Control Program and awarding them to certain non-existing entities and thereby causing loss to the exchequer and pecuniary benefit to
himself. Further, it has been revealed that in connivance with his CA Sunil Agrawal and his brother Ashok Agrawal and Pawan Agrawal, opened more than 400 bank accounts in the name of gullible villagers of Kharora and its nearby villages, wherein cash to the tune of approximately ` 46 crores was deposited and the same was laundered through shell companies opened by his CA Sunil Agrawal and other entities, which was ultimately parked in Prime Ispat Ltd, Raipur as investment in shares, the agency said.