The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has attached assets worth Rs 7.90 crore under the Prevention of Money-laundering Act (PMLA) in two cases of Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
These two cases are related to Gurdeep Singh Rano and others, and Rajesh Kumar along with others. “The attached assets include 16 immovable properties consisting of land and building in Punjab pertaining to Gurdeep Singh Rano and his family members.
This besides, 11 immovable properties consisting of land in Punjab pertaining to Rajesh Kumar and his family members were also attached,” the ED said in a statement. The assets attached also included movable properties like balance in bank accounts, cash and gold ornaments seized by law enforcement agencies, it said.
The ED initiated money laundering investigation on the basis of an FIR registered by Special Task force, Punjab Police under various sections of the NDPS Act, Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Arms Act. It was also alleged that Gurdeep Singh Rano had links with other suspected illicit drugs smugglers like Simranjit Singh and Tanvir Bedi, who are residing abroad. The ED initiated a money laundering investigation against Rajesh Kumar and others on the basis of an FIR registered by Punjab Police at Police Station City Faridkot, under NDPS Act.
As per the FIR against Rajesh Kumar, he was selling intoxicating drugs in the guise of a medical store run by him.
“The ED investigation revealed that in both PMLA cases, most of the immovable properties were bought in cash wherein the accused were not able to produce any documentary evidence in support of source of cash,” the agency said. Investigation further revealed that in some cases, cash was deposited in the bank accounts of known persons to layer the ‘Proceeds of Crime’ for purchasing immovable properties. Further investigation is under progress, it added.