In a first major action, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday attached properties worth Rs 2 crore of Santhal Pargana Divisional Commissioner Pradeep Kumar allegedly earned through illegal means when he was secretary (health) from June 2008 to August 2009.
Kumar, a 1991 batch IAS officer, has been accused of being involved in the NRHM (National Rural Health Mission) scam worth Rs 130 crore, taking bribe of Rs 4.85 lakh in logistics scam and acquiring disproportionate assets.
“The ED has attached fixed deposits worth Rs 43 lakh and 40 lakh deposited in different bank accounts along with properties, including a flat at and a house in the name of Kumar at Jascon Plaza located at Circular Road in Ranchi and Udaipur respectively,” said an official requesting anonymity. Two of Kumar’s aides Shyamal Chakravarty and Rajendra Kumar had formed a partnership firm named Messers SR Enterprises through which the money earned illegally was invested through money laundering, he added.
“A 4000 square feet plot in Bengaluru and a double storied house built in1650 square feet area has also been attached along with a flat in Kolkata purchased in the name of Nandlal HUF and Shyamal Chakravarty,” said the official. Total registry value of the properties attached is around Rs 1 crore but the market value of those properties is more than 10 crore, he added.
“Money laundering has been done by Kumar with the help of Shyamal Chakraverty, Dharmendar Kumar Dheeraj and Chartered Accountant Neeraj Kejriwal. Chakraverty worked for Kumar and used to invest the money earned by him in movable and immovable properties,” said the official.
Kumar also formed a Hindu Undivided Family (HUF) making Rajendra Kumar the creator who had been laundering the money thorough it and invested several lakhs in Indira Vikas Patra, Kisan Vikas Patra and fixed deposits, he added.
CBI had registered a case against Kumar under section 13 of Prevention of Corruption Act and under Sections 120 (B), 467 and 471 of IPC following which the ED, taking cognizance in this regard, started investigating the case after under PC Act. The chargesheet filed by the CBI indicates that Kumar misusing his position, earned money more than the known sources of income and invested it in the name of his near and dear ones.