ED attaches ₹1.64 crore properties of former MP govt official in DA case
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
The Directorate of Enforcement (ED)'s Bhopal Zonal Office has provisionally attached immovable properties worth approximately ₹1.64 crore belonging to Mahendra Pratap Singh, a former Assistant in the Madhya Pradesh government, and his wife Reeta Singh under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. The action, announced on 1 October 2026, targets assets allegedly acquired through disproportionate means during Singh's tenure as a public servant.
Background and EOW Complaint
The ED's move follows an First Information Report (FIR) registered by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW), Bhopal under multiple provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (as amended). After completing its probe, the EOW filed a final charge sheet under Section 120B of the Indian Penal Code and relevant sections of the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018 before the Special Court in Rewa.
Scale of Alleged Enrichment
According to the ED, during the check period from 13 February 1995 to 9 September 2020, Mahendra Pratap Singh acquired assets worth approximately ₹1.64 crore — representing nearly 191.11 per cent of his known sources of income over that period. The agency said Singh failed to satisfactorily explain the sources of funds used to accumulate these assets, prompting the provisional attachment under Section 5(1) of the PMLA.
What Was Attached
The proceeds of crime, according to investigators, were deployed across a range of assets including insurance policies, vehicles, land parcels, and the construction of a school building. The formally attached properties include a land parcel and a school building located in Rewa, identified as direct proceeds of the alleged illicit enrichment. Officials said the attachment was effected to prevent dissipation of these assets pending the ongoing inquiry.
What Comes Next
The ED confirmed that the investigation under the PMLA is continuing to trace the full trail of funds and examine any related aspects. Further legal proceedings will follow as per statutory provisions. Cases of this nature typically proceed to an adjudicating authority under the PMLA before culminating in prosecution complaints before a designated court.
This case is among several disproportionate-assets prosecutions stemming from EOW referrals to the ED in Madhya Pradesh in recent years, reflecting stepped-up coordination between state anti-corruption bodies and the federal financial intelligence agency.