New Delhi, September 27
Directorate of Enforcement (ED), Chandigarh has provisionally attached movable and immovable assets worth Rs. 4.59 crore belonging to Vikram Kumar and others under the provisions of Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002 in relation to the bribery and the disproportionate assets held by Vikram Kumar, the then District Town Planner, Karnal and Rajbaksh, the then Tehsildar, Karnal.
ED initiated investigation on the basis of FIR registered by State Vigilance Bureau (SVB), Karnal in a bribery case.
During its investigation SVB caught Vikram Kumar, DTP and his official driver Balbir red-handed. Subsequently, SVB registered two offshoot FIRs relating to disproportionate assets against Vikram Kumar, Rajbaksh and their family members. SVB during search, seized an amount of Rs. 84.02 lakh from Vikram Kumar and Rajbaksh.
ED initiated investigation to trace out the Proceeds of Crime (POC) and further utilization of ill-gotten money in the immovable and movable assets held by the aforementioned public servants. During investigation under PMLA so far, immovable assets worth Rs. 3.75 crore purchased by Vikram Kumar and Rajbaksh using the POC have been identified.
ED investigation revealed that Vikram Kumar and Rajbaksh deposited the POC in their own bank accounts as well as in the bank account of their relatives to project the same as untainted. They further used these POC for acquisition of the properties. Therefore, this case is not restricted to just bribe money but an elaborate money laundering scheme wherein
Vikram Kumar and Rajbaksh alongwith their family members have amassed immovable assets that are in excess of their income earned through unknown sources.
Earlier, ED had provisionally attached 09 immovable assets in the form of land and flats amounting to Rs. 3.75 Crore and cash amounting to Rs. 84.02 Lakh being POC, under PMLA, 2002
