ED attaches assets worth Rs 7.85 crore in corruption case

Enforcement Directorate (ED) has provisionally attached immovable assets worth Rs 7.85 crore under the provisions of Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA) belonging to a person named Mahesh Chand Sharma and his family members and entities under their control in a corruption case.

The attached assets include agricultural land in Jaipur, Tonk and Karauli and 31 plots/houses at various locations in Jaipur, read a statement.

ED initiated investigation on the basis of FIR and charge-sheet filed by Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB), Jaipur against Mahesh Chand Sharma and others. Sharma had worked in Health and Medical department of Rajasthan Government as Nursing Tutor (Nursing Grade- 2), College of Nursing, SMS Medical College and also as Member, Indian Nursing Council (INC), New Delhi.

He along with his associate was trapped by ACB, Jaipur for taking bribe of Rs 5 lakh from a nursing institute for including the name of the institute (which was deleted earlier) on the website of INC. Later, ACB investigation established that the accused had amassed illicit earning amounting to Rs 10.6 crore which was 372 per cent more than his known/legal source of income, the statement added.

Investigation under PMLA also revealed that Sharma has accumulated huge money by resorting to corrupt practice and misusing his official position and said money was used for purchase of agricultural land, residential flat and plots in the name of himself, his wife, son, company and trust.

Investigation conducted under PMLA has succeeded in identifying two transactions to the tune of Rs 4 crore for acquiring properties/assets. In one transaction, proceeds of crime to the tune of Rs 2.25 crore was paid to buy land with building/house and three shops situated at Mansarovar, Jaipur with total land Area of 114.42 Sq. Mtr. and covered area of 3693.98 sq. ft.

In the second transaction, proceeds of crime totaling Rs 1.75 crore was paid to buy 22 plots in a Society at Jaipur having area of 233.33 Sq. Mtr. each, totaling to 5133.26 Sq. Mtr.

These assets were not included in the charge sheets filed by ACB for calculation of Disproportionate Assets.

Accordingly, the total illegal earning i.e. Proceeds of Crime under PMLA, of Sharma earned from the criminal activities related to scheduled offence now comes to Rs 14.6 crores. Earlier, proceeds of crime totaling to Rs 4.75 crore in the form of various immovable properties had been attached under PMLA in the said case. Accordingly, so far, these immovable properties worth Rs 12.60 crores have been attached provisionally.

Further investigation in this case is underway.

( With inputs from ANI )