The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday attached assets worth over Rs 122 crore owned by four companies based in Tamil Nadu in connection with its money laundering probe in the Karnataka lottery scam case.
The firms whose assets have been attached include Daison land and Development Pvt. ltd., Charles Realtors Pvt. ltd., Martin Multi Projects Pvt. ltd. and Daison luxury Villas Pvt. ltd. belonging to S Martin of accused in the Karnataka lottery scam case.
“The investigation was initiated following the chargesheet filed by the CBI in the scam against S Martin, N Jayamurughan and others... Investigation of the Directorate has established that manipulations done by the partnership firm MJ Associates partnered by Martin and Jayamurughan resulted in unlawful financial gain to its partners. This proceeds of crime was used for creating assets which have now been attached,” the agency said in a statement.
It said the total value of the attachment done under PMlA laws is Rs 122.40 crore.
lottery business was banned in the State in 2007, but the syndicate runners allegedly kept thriving with the ‘involvement’ of senior officers.
A senior IPS was also suspended in connection with this case by the State Government last year.
The State Government had sent the case to CBI after the Opposition BJP and JDS mounted pressure on it to hand over the multi-crore scam to the Central agency for a fair and transparent probe to bring out alleged involvement of senior officials and politicians.
An attachment order under Prevention of Money laundering Act (PMlA) is aimed at depriving the accused from obtaining benefits of their alleged ill-gotten wealth and the accused can appeal against the order before the Adjudicating Authority of the said Act within 180 days.