ED conducts search at erstwhile Indian Forest Service officer in Odisha

The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) carried out a search in the case of Abhay Kant Pathak, the erstwhile Indian Forest Service (IFoS), 1987 batch of Odisha cadre, who was working in the capacity of Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forest, Plan, Programme and Afforestation, Govt. of Odisha, informed the ED on Tuesday.

A BMW-620D GT Car, worth Rs 74.22 lakhs bearing Registration No. OD-07-AG- 7272, was seized under the provisions of PMLA, 2002.

During the investigation being conducted under PMLA, 2002, it was revealed that Akash Kumar Pathak, S/o Abhay Kant Pathak had surreptitiously attempted to sell the said BMW car to a person resident of Belagaavi, Karnataka who was a dealer of Old Cars, working in Mumbai.

ED had initiated an investigation under the PMLA, 2002, on the basis of an FIR registered by the Vigilance Cell PS, Cuttack, Odisha for disproportionate assets (DA) amounting to Rs 9,35,42,594/- by Abhay Kant Pathak, his family members.

It was further revealed that seven other FIRs and chargesheets have been registered by Odisha Police involving Akash Kumar Pathak S/o Abhay Kant Pathak and Abhay Kant Pathak, whereunder they have been charged for duping gullible people in the name of providing jobs in Tata Motors.

ED had earlier carried out a search operation on December 3, 2021, under PMLA, 2002 at the Residence of Abhay Kant Pathak situated at Flat No. 101, Viswanath Villa, Vivekananda Marg, Bhubaneswar which resulted in the seizure of a Tata Harrier car worth Rs 15 Lakhs along with various incriminating documents/evidence.

Subsequently, the ED has also issued a Provisional Attachment Order against Abhay Kant Pathak and others wherein identified properties worth Rs 29.83 Lakhs belonging to them were attached.

( With inputs from ANI )