Raipur, March 16 (NationPress) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) from the Raipur Zonal Office has temporarily secured the attachment of immovable assets valued at around Rs 80.36 crore as per the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.

This attachment, executed on March 13, 2026, is connected to an alleged fraudulent scheme involving the procurement and distribution of medical apparatus and reagents for the Chhattisgarh Medical Services Corporation Limited (CGMSCL), as stated by the ED.

The investigation was initiated following a First Information Report (FIR) and a charge-sheet submitted by the Anti-Corruption Bureau/Economic Offences Wing against M/s Mokish Corporation (also known as Mokshit Corporation) along with senior officials from the Directorate of Health Services (DHS) and CGMSCL.

It is claimed that Shashank Chopda, a partner at M/s Mokish Corporation, colluded with officials from DHS and CGMSCL to manipulate the tendering process. They allegedly fabricated demand to supply equipment and reagents at exorbitant prices, leading to significant losses for the state treasury while generating illegal profits for themselves and their associates, according to the ED.

The investigation under PMLA uncovered that the proceeds of crime originated from the scheduled offense of inflated procurement and supply due to collusion with public officials in rigging tenders.

Chopda, in collaboration with his associates, is accused of layering these illicit proceeds through various entities and firms. They are said to have entered into fictitious service and maintenance agreements, withdrawing substantial cash amounts or using these funds for illegal bribery and asset acquisition.

To safeguard against the dissipation of these criminal proceeds, the ED provisionally attached assets worth Rs 80.36 crore on March 13, 2026, under Section 5 of the PMLA.

The seized assets encompass residential plots, apartments, factories, and other immovable properties located in Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra, owned by the accused and associated entities, which are believed to have been acquired through unlawful funds.

Previous search and seizure operations under Section 17 of the PMLA targeted numerous locations linked to the accused and their associates, resulting in the confiscation or freezing of assets exceeding Rs 43 crore. This included luxury vehicles such as Porsche, Mercedes, and Mini Cooper, which were seized on January 14, 2026.

Shashank Chopda was arrested on January 19, 2026.

With the latest provisional attachment, the cumulative value of properties that have been attached, seized, or frozen in this case has escalated to approximately Rs 123 crore.

The investigation is still ongoing, with efforts to trace additional proceeds of crime and identify further involved parties.

This development intensifies scrutiny over procurement irregularities within Chhattisgarh's health sector, where significant tenders for medical supplies have faced allegations of over-invoicing and cartel behavior in recent years.