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The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has attached 31 immovable properties located in Goa worth Rs 39.24 crore (circle rate) in connection with a money laundering investigation against various persons involved in the illegal acquisition of properties, the agency said on Saturday.
The properties were attached under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) of 2002. The federal agency initiated its investigation on the basis of various First Information Reports (FIRs) registered by Goa Police against some persons naming Vikrant Shetty, Mohammed Suhail, Rajkumar Maithi and other accused persons involved in the illegal grabbing of immovable properties in Goa. Subsequently, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Goa Police was also formed by the Goa government to investigate the matter. The ED investigation revealed that various immovable properties were illegally acquired by the accused persons in their names or in the names of their associates or relatives. "The accused persons placed forged documents in the land records to support their claim that the immovable properties belonged to their ancestors," said the agency. Based on these forged documents, the agency said the accused were able to get their names updated or inserted in the land records by making succession deeds and inventories. "Few of these illegally acquired properties were sold by the accused persons to buyers from Goa and other states," said the ED, adding that further investigation is under progress. (ANI)
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