ED's fresh charge sheet in Unitech Group case names 5 individuals, 66 domestic and overseas firms

The federal agency filed the prosecution complaint on Thursday here in Rouse avenue Court naming promoter of United Group Sanjay Chandra, his wife Preeti Chandra, brother Ajay Chandra, father Ramesh Chandra and one Rajesh Malik as well as 66 domestic and overseas companies as accused.

In this case, a prosecution complaint had been filed earlier on December 2 last year and this is the second prosecution complaint filed in this matter.

On directions of the Supreme Court, the ED had registered a money laundering case against Unitech Group and its promoters -Sanjay Chandra and Ajay Chandra - over allegations that they illegally diverted over Rs 2,000 crore to Cyprus and the Cayman Islands.

The ED filed case on June 6, 2018, based on the FIRs registered by the Economic Offences Wing of Delhi Police under various Sections of the Indian Penal Code.

Total proceeds of crime as detected by ED are Rs 6,352 crore in this case, said the ED.

During the course of the investigation, ED has arrested five individuals namely Sanjay Chandra, Ajay Chandra, Ramesh Chandra, Preeti Chandra and Rajesh Malik. Presently, all of them are in judicial custody.

The agency said a total of 43 searches have been conducted in this matter so far. Besides 297 domestic and overseas assets having a total value of Rs 763 crore have been attached in 11 provisional attachment orders. The attachment includes the attachment of assets of Carnostie Group, Shivalik Group, Trikar Group and the assets of shell and personal companies of Chandras.

In this case, the ED said five status reports have been filed before the Supreme Court.

Ramesh Chandra and his sons- Sanjay and Ajay Chandra - are also accused of allegedly defrauding Canara Bank of Rs 198 crore.

In a complaint filed in November 2020, the bank had said that Unitech, which had been a customer since 1971 and availed various credit facilities, had defaulted on multiple payments. (ANI)