New Delhi, Oct 23 (UNI) Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday said that it has attached movable property worth Rs 11.92 lakh under Prevention of Money Laundering Act 2002, (PMLA) in a case of illegal allocation of Coal Block in Jharkhand.
The attached assets include the balance lying in the bank account of Hotel Le Lac at Ranchi maintained with Axis Bank. Prior to this, the agency had also attached assets totalling to Rs 6.88 Crore and so far total attachment in this case is worth of Rs Seven Crore.
ED initiated investigations under PMLA on the basis of an FIR registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) under section 120B read with section 420 of IPC 1860 against DOMCO Pvt Ltd, its Promoters, Directors and other unknown persons for submitting false information with dishonest intention to the concerned authorities while applying for a captive coal block and securing allocation of “Lalgarh (North)” coal block in West Bokaro Coalfield in Jharkhand and a pecuniary benefit of Rs seven crores which was obtained by accused Binay Prakash by offering to sell the shares of the company on premium following allocation of the coal block to DOMCO Pvt Ltd, Ranchi.
“Investigation under PMLA revealed that the accused Binay Prakash placed the ‘Proceeds of Crime’ in the banking system and subsequently the amount was siphoned off, routed and invested through the entities of Binay Prakash’ Group owned or controlled by him”, the ED officials said.
Identified assets in the form of bank balance of Rs 11.92 lakh was held in the name of Binay Prakash’ Group have been provisionally attached under PMLA, they added.
Earlier immovable properties held in the name of Binay Prakash’ Group amounting to Rs 3.96 crore and movable properties amounting to Rs 2.92 crore were provisionally attached which have been confirmed by the Adjudicating Authority under PMLA.
A Prosecution Complaint under PMLA has also been filed before the Special PMLA Court at New Delhi, the ED said , adding that the further investigation in the matter is under progress.
