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The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has attached a number of immovable properties situated across various prime locations in Goa, having a total value of Rs 212.85 crore, in connection with an ongoing investigation into a sprawling conspiracy of land grabbing and forgery perpetrated by an organized criminal syndicate
ED's Panaji Zonal office attached these properties on July 28 this year in the alleged land grabbing and forgery perpetrated by an organized criminal syndicate led by one Rohan Harmalkar and his accomplices. The key accused, Rohan Harmalkar, was arrested on June 3, 2025 under Section 19 of PMLA, 2002 and is currently in judicial custody. ED initiated an investigation on the basis of two First Information Reports registered by the Goa Police for offences including forgery, cheating, impersonation, and use of counterfeit documents to fraudulently acquire land parcels in North Goa. ED said its investigation said that the accused "orchestrated a meticulously planned criminal enterprise to misappropriate multiple high-value properties situated in Anjuna, Revora, Nadora, Camurlim, Parra, and other adjoining areas falling within Bardez Taluka and Mapusa City, Goa." The PMLA investigation disclosed "the use of forged genealogical records, fabricated sale deeds, counterfeit wills, manipulated inventory proceedings and other fraudulent documents, by the accused, to falsely claim title over valuable immovable properties and to camouflage the same as legitimately held assets thereby generating substantial Proceeds of Crime (POC), as defined under Section 2(1)(u) of the PMLA." The part of Proceeds of Crime (POC) were "subsequently routed through accounts of their family members and associates." "The illicit gains so acquired were routed through bank accounts of the key conspirators and their family members, thereby layering and integrating the tainted funds to project them as untainted," said the agency. So far, multiple immovable properties constituting direct POC, valued at over Rs 212.85 Crore, have been identified and provisionally attached under the provisions of the PMLA, 2002. "Efforts are currently underway to trace and attach the remaining Proceeds of Crime, which may be substantially higher, in order to fully unravel the extent of the laundering operation." (ANI)
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