New Delhi, Oct 13 (PTI) The ED today attached assetsworth Rs 5.6 crore in connection with its money launderingprobe against Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singhand his family, a day after the Election Commission announceddates for the forthcoming assembly polls in his state.
The central probe agency said the assets, both movableand immovable, are in the name of the chief minister's sonVikramaditya Singh, daughter Aprajita Singh and wife PratibhaSingh.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) said it has issued aprovisional order of attachment under the provisions of thePrevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
"This order attaches Rs 4.2 crore from a portion offarmhouse at Dera Mandi in Delhi in the name of Ms TariniInternational and fixed assets of Ms Tarini Infra Damangangaproject at Vapi in Gujarat.
"Also, shares worth Rs 64 lakh in the name ofVikramaditya Singh and Aprajita Singh and fixed deposits tothe tune of Rs 20 lakh in bank account of Aprajita Singh (havebeen attached)," the agency said in a statement.
It added that since the shares of Ms Tarini Infra weretransferred by Pratibha Singh to daughter of VakamullaChandrashekar for a consideration of Rs 60 lakh, the same"also stands attached" from the FD of Pratibha Singh withvarious bank accounts at Delhi and Shimla.
The agency had earlier said that Chandrashekar is thepromoter/director of Tarini Group of Companies, which isengaged in hydro power projects in Himachal Pradesh, therebyalleging a quid pro quo between the two parties.
It said during investigations into the "trail of fundspassing through Chandershekhar, it was revealed that an amountof Rs 5.9 crore was given by him to Virbhadra Singh and hisfamily members through his three personal bank accounts".
"When the source of funds was enquired into, it came tolight that the said amount was received through web of firmsindulging in accommodation entry operation," the ED alleged.
It said the probe found these alleged shell firms were"opened in the name of employees with meagre salary primarilyfor providing accommodation entries and the addresses of thefirms were fake."Assembly elections in Himachal Pradesh will be held onNovember 9.
Virbhadra Singh yesterday had indicated that he maycontest the upcoming state polls from the Theog constituencyof the state.
With the latest order, the ED said, a total of Rs 40crore (market value) assets have been attached by it in thiscase till now.
The ED had filed the criminal case under the PMLA againstthe 82-year-old Congress leader and others in 2015, based on aCBI FIR.
The CBI has also filed a charge sheet against Singh, asix-time chief minister, his wife and others for allegedlyamassing assets worth around Rs 10 crore disproportionate totheir known sources of income.
An attachment order issued by the ED under the PMLA isaimed to deprive the accused from taking benefits of his orher ill-gotten wealth and it can be challenged before theAdjudicating Authority of the said Act within 180 days. PTINESZMN.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.