KOCHI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has attached properties including cash deposits and gold of three persons including the former Chief Engineer of the Military Engineer Service (MES) who were booked by the CBI over corruption in civil works at the Kochi Naval Base in 2018. The ED attached properties to the tune of Rs 7.47 crore including cash of Rs 4 crore and 6.636 kg of gold valued at Rs 3.45 crore belonging to the accused identified as Rakesh Kumar Garg, Sanjeev Khanna and Sanjeev Kumar Aggarwal.
In 2018, the CBI had registered a case and arrested Rakesh, the then Chief Engineer (Naval Works), Military Engineer Services (MES), Kathari Bagh Naval Base, Kochi. He had allegedly indulged in corrupt practices by way of demanding and collecting illegal gratification of one per cent of tender value from contractors for issuing various civil contracts at the Naval Base, Kochi.
Other accused persons in the case were Pushkar Bhasin, Praful Jain, Kanav Khanna, Sanjeev Khanna, Subodh Jain, Chanchal Jain and other unknown public servants. Later, the ED registered a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act and started a probe against the accused persons.
"Investigation revealed that Rakesh, Kanav, Sanjeev Khanna and Sanjeev Aggarwal had by the commission of the scheduled offence and other offences relatable to the scheduled offence derived/obtained the proceeds of crime in the form of cash
totalling to Rs 4.01 crore and 6.636 kg of gold valued at Rs 3.45 crore,” an ED statement said.