BHUBANESWAR: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday questioned Gangadhar Samal, the brother of BJD MLA from Dhenkanal Sudhir Kumar Samal, in connection with the money laundering case registered against sex and extortion scandal accused Archana Nag, husband Jagabandhu Chand and two others.
ED sources said Gangadhar is the managing director of Jaguar Land Rover showroom - Empreo Prestige at Pratap Nagari in Cuttack. Archana had reportedly transferred Rs 35 lakh into the bank account of Empreo Prestige in 2020 to purchase a luxury car. However, the car showroom officials refunded the amount to Archana as she cancelled the plan to purchase the four-wheeler. Sources said the central agency questioned Gangadhar on the day to ascertain whether there was any money laundering involved in the transaction.
In a related development, Archana’s former associate Shradhanjali Behera is likely to appear before the ED again on Friday. Shradhanjali, who has been booked under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) along with Archana, Jagabandhu and businessman Khageswar Patra, appeared for the first time before the agency on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the ED produced Khageswar in a court here on the day after his three-day remand ended. The court rejected the agency’s request to take Khageswar on fresh two-day remand. ED sources said a court here has allowed the agency to produce Archana and Jagabandhu in connection with its case on November 30.