BHUBANESWAR: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has seized Rs 133.17 crore in fixed deposits and Rs 70 lakh cash from former Champua MLA and miner Jitendranath Patnaik who was under investigation for money laundering.
The central agency had carried out searches in the house and office of Patnaik in Keonjhar district's Joda on Wednesday in connection with a case registered against him under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). Searches were also conducted at Patnaik's two properties in the Capital City. The Rs 130.17 crore was parked in 124 fixed deposits.
"Patnaik has derived undue pecuniary advantage through illegal mining as he had not obtained necessary statutory approvals. Various incriminating documents and digital evidence were seized during the searches," said an ED officer.
The central agency had started a money-laundering investigation based on the case and chargesheet filed by the State Vigilance against Patnaik, who was into mining.
As per Vigilance's chargesheet, he had indulged in illegal mining for a long period causing a huge loss to the government exchequer amounting to more than Rs 130 crore. ED has been able to recover almost the entire amount of proceeds of crime, said the central agency sources.
However, Patnaik defended himself and told the media persons that he does not possess any black money.
"I also told the investigators that the cash seized from me are my earnings from the petrol pump and house rents," he said.
Balasore Vigilance Cell had registered a case against Patnaik and others in 2009. The case was later investigated by the Vigilance Cell. The anti-corruption agency filed a chargesheet in this connection on March 26, 2013.
Patnaik is accused of illegal mining activities from 1999 to 2009 and causing a heavy loss to the government. He served as MLA of Champua (Independent) from 2009 to '14.