The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday conducted raids on the premises of 18 bureaucrats working in Public Sector Undertakings and States Governments across 10 States in connection with their involvement in alleged violation of the Government’s demonetisation scheme, money laundering and other cases. The agency took the step under the Prevention of Money laundering Act.
“We have conducted raids on 18 bureaucrats in Delhi, Goa, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Chennai. These bureaucrats are involved in different cases related to money laundering, violation of demonetisation and helping shell companies,” an Enforcement Directorate official adding that searches at some of the premises are still continuing and further investigations are in progress.
According to officials, action has been taken in three important cases connected with bureaucrats in Uttar Pradesh. In ‘Smarak’ case, the alleged officials have caused loss of over Rs 1,400 crore to the State Government. In the second in case of officials connected with Yadav Singh case where property worth approximately Rs 20 crore has already been seized by Enforcement Directorate; third action has been taken in NRHM scam in which Government servants and Ministers had allegedly misappropriated Government funds and till now ED has attached proceeds of crime of over Rs 250 crore. The present ED searches have been carried out on officers of the rank of DG (Health), Project Engineers and Director of UP Jal Nigam,” the officials said.
In another case, the agency has been taken action against an IAS officer of West Bengal under Prevention of Corruption Act. It is alleged that the said officer, in connivance with some engineers, had released Rs 60 crores by falsification/manipulation of tender documents.
“Searches have been conducted in Delhi in cases of 03 retired officers of State Trading Corporation (STC) including one ex-CMD. These officers had allowed transactions between STC and private parties which caused huge losses to STC. They had also approved credit limits to private parties against interests of STC,” officials added.
The ED has also booked one former Principal Chief Engineer of PWD in Goa. It is alleged that the officer had helped the then Chief Minister for concealing the main noting file of awarding of JICA consultancy in Goa and he, on one occasion delivered inappropriate payment to the then PWD Minister in Goa Government.