Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The Directorate of Enforcement (ED), Bhopal had provisionally attached 26 immovable properties worth Rs. 1.49 crore in the case pertaining to the double money scam in Balaghat, said officials here on Thursday.
Earlier, the ED had attached 25 immovable properties worth Rs 2.98 crore under the provisions of Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.
The ED initiated investigation after three FIRs were registered at two police stations of Balaghat district under various sections of Banning of Unregulated Deposits Scheme (BUDS) Act, 2019 and the IPC.
Subsequently, chargesheets were filed against several individuals. The ED investigation revealed that the accused fooled gullible people and took their deposits in the name of doubling their money within a very short period and for assurance, sometimes they provided post dated cheques of maturity amount.
However, they failed to return the promised amounts leading to filing of FIRs. After the FIRs and chargesheets were filed, an enforcement case information report (ECIR) was recorded by ED Bhopal for investigation under PMLA, 2002.
It was revealed that the accused used to take money from the investors in the form of cash or directly into the bank accounts of their proprietorship concerns.
This money (proceeds of crime) was further utilised for acquisition of immovable assets, which were acquired by the accused in their names and those of their family members or agents who worked for them. Further investigation is under progress.
