CHENNAI: The Enforcement Directorate has attached immovable property worth `11.68 crore
of 'Kathukuthu' Ravi, a prime accused in the murder of Kathiravan, who was an accused in the sensational Sankararaman murder case. Kathiravan was liquidated by an armed gang during trial.
The Enforcement Directorate joint director K V V Prasad told Express that Kathukuthu Ravi did not have any legitimate source for income and the huge wealth was from crimes.
"His legal earnings were nominal whereas he bought properties in his name and in the name of his minor sons with the proceeds from crime," said Prasad.
He said Enforcement directorate verified the property details for several months and Ravi was unable to give a proper explanation.
The properties were attached provisionally under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). This would be independent of the criminal cases he was facing, Prasad said.
Ravi is facing several cases of land grabbing, extortion, murder, kattupanchayat. He is also accused of playing an active role in
the murder of Kathiravan, when the latter was facing trial in the Sankararaman murder case.
Kathiravan was murdered in 2013 by a gang armed with deadly weapons. Three years after the murder the Enforcement Directorate acted against Ravi and attached his properties.
Of the eight properties attached, the high valued ones were in Sholinganallur. His two plots in the area was worth `5.81 crore and both were in his name. Similarly, a residential apartment in Neelankarai village under his son's name was worth `1.47 crore.
ED officials said some of the properties were owned by his sons, Harshavardhan, Dharanidharan, Kushal and Harish.