BHUBANESWAR: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed a charge sheet before a special Public Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court here in connection with the multi-crore mineral transportation fraud involving Gandhamardan Loading Agency and Transporting Co-operative Society Ltd, Keonjhar.
The charge sheet has been filed against 11 people including key accused Soumya Sankar Chakra alias Raja Chakra, his key associates and other office-bearers of the cooperative society.
The ED had initiated investigation into the matter on the basis of an FIR registered by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW), Bhubaneswar, under various sections of the Indian Penal Code pertaining to cheating, forgery and criminal conspiracy. The scheduled offence involves large-scale misappropriation and diversion of society funds by falsely showing expenditures under heads such as periphery development, village expenses, fuel charges, EPF deductions and other fabricated claims.
As per sources, ED investigation revealed that the society was effectively controlled by Raja Chakra, who, in connivance with the then president Manas Ranjan Barik and secretary Utkal Das allegedly diverted the society’s funds fraudulently. This diversion was carried out through self and bearer cheques, cash withdrawals and layered banking transactions.
The illegally diverted funds were allegedly used for the personal enrichment of Raja Chakra and to settle dues for various business entities owned and controlled by him.
The ED reportedly found no genuine work orders, invoices or evidence of actual development activities to substantiate the expenditures recorded in the society’s books of accounts. During the investigation, the ED conducted search operations under section 17 of the PMLA at multiple premises and provisionally attached proceeds of crime amounting to `22.26 crore. Further investigation is underway, ED sources said.
Meanwhile in another development, the EOW recently seized a Range Rover (Sport SE) bearing registration number in the name of Shankar Minerals, the proprietorship firm of Raja Chakra from near Gulmohar Court Apartment in Pahala.
During probe, EOW found that the vehicle had been procured from the crime proceeds of a case related to massive fraud and misappropriation of funds of the society.