Is the Former Health Director of MP Facing Legal Trouble with Rs 9.79 Crore Asset Attachment?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
Bhopal, Jan 31 (NationPress) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) announced on Saturday that it has seized properties valued at around Rs 9.79 crore belonging to the former health director of Madhya Pradesh, Dr. Amarnath Mittal, and his spouse, Dr. Alka Mittal.
This measure was executed under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) of 2002, following a probe into a case concerning disproportionate assets registered against them in 2012.
The ED noted that the investigation commenced based on an FIR filed by the Lokayukta department of the Madhya Pradesh police under Sections 13 (1) (b) and 13 (2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act for amassing assets disproportionate to their known income sources.
The assets attached by the ED include both movable and immovable properties such as residential and agricultural land in the Bhopal and Raisen districts, along with long-term capital gains bonds.
The investigation is ongoing, with more substantial disclosures anticipated shortly.
Findings from the ED investigation revealed that Dr. Mittal's legitimate income was merely Rs 60 lakh, while his assets and expenditures were discovered to be around Rs 2.98 crore. Therefore, assets worth approximately Rs 2.38 crore were acquired unlawfully.
Moreover, it was uncovered that Dr. Mittal employed various strategies to hide his disproportionate assets. He purchased properties under his name, his wife's name, and even in the name of A N Mittal Undivided Hindu Family (HUF) to obscure ownership and mask the illicit origins of the funds.
The ED also identified that complex financial transactions, unaccounted cash, and undisclosed deposits were utilized to legitimize these illegal funds. Notably, even after the FIR was filed in 2012, he continued to reinvest the proceeds from the sale of old properties into new acquisitions, which the ED has categorized as proceeds of crime.