The Directorate of Enforcement (ED), Indore Sub-Zonal Office, has provisionally attached 56 residential plots in Madhya Pradesh's Dhar district under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, in connection with the embezzlement of ₹20.47 crore in government education funds. The action targets assets linked to fraudulent treasury payments made between 2018 and 2023 from the Block Education Office (BEO), Katthiwada, in Alirajpur district.

How the Scam Unfolded

The ED launched its investigation on the basis of an FIR registered at Police Station Katthiwada, which alleged that the then Block Education Officer Kamal Rathore, acting in connivance with other accused persons, siphoned government funds from the treasury at Alirajpur. The embezzled money was routed through multiple bank accounts controlled by Rathore and his family members, withdrawn in cash, and subsequently used to purchase agricultural land in Gandhwani tehsil of Dhar district.

This agricultural land — acquired from proceeds of crime, according to the ED — was later developed into residential plots under a project named 'Shri Balaji Dham'. The development was allegedly carried out to conceal the illicit origin of the funds and project the tainted property as legitimate real estate.

Scale of the Latest Attachment

The 56 provisionally attached residential plots under the 'Shri Balaji Dham' project carry a market value exceeding ₹6 crore, according to the ED's statement. The attached properties are now under ED control, preventing any sale or transfer pending further proceedings.

This latest action adds to a series of earlier enforcement moves. Previous searches under PMLA had already led to the seizure of incriminating documents and the freezing of bank accounts. In an earlier attachment, assets worth ₹4.43 crore belonging to the accused were provisionally attached and subsequently confirmed by the competent authority on 10 March.

Arrest and Legal Proceedings

Accused Kamal Rathore was arrested for his alleged role in money laundering. A Prosecution Complaint was filed before the Special Court (PMLA), Indore, on 29 September 2025, against Rathore and other accused persons. The case represents, according to investigators, a sophisticated laundering operation in which public funds earmarked for education were allegedly diverted through layered land transactions for personal gain.

What Happens Next

The ED has stated that further investigation is in progress to trace the full extent of the money trail, identify additional beneficiaries, and recover more proceeds of crime. This comes amid a broader national push by the ED to pursue PMLA cases involving government fund embezzlement at the district level — a tier where oversight has historically been limited.