New Delhi: The ED Thursday said it has attached assets worth Rs 2.16 crore of a company, whose former directors included an ex-MP and two former MLAs from Odisha, in a money-laundering probe linked to alleged chit-fund scheme fraud.
A provisional order for attaching the properties of Nava Diganta Capital Services Ltd. And its group companies has been issued under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
In a statement, the Enforcement Directorate said the group companies are represented through directors Anjan Kumar Baliyarsingh, Pradeep Kumar Pattnaik, Kartikeya Parida and ex-directors such as former Mayurbhanj MP Ramachandra Hansdah, former Keonjhar Sadar MLA Subarna Naik and ex-MLA from Khariar Hitesh Kumar Bagarti.
Hansdah, who was been with the NCP and the BJD, joined the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) last year. Naik too was with the Biju Janta Dal (BJD). He and Hansdah were suspended by the BJD after they were arrested by the CBI in this case in 2014.
Bagarti too was arrested in the case and he had won the seat on a BJP ticket.
The attached assets include deposits worth Rs 16 lakh kept in 48 accounts of the IDBI Bank and Indian Bank, two land parcels worth Rs 2 crore at Narendrapur Mouza in Puri district and Kaipadar Mouza in Khordha district of Odisha.
The total worth of the assets attached is Rs 2.16 crore.
The money-laundering case stems from an FIR and two charge sheets filed by the CBI against the accused.
“Nava Diganta Capital Services Ltd was collecting public deposits by issuing redeemable preference shares and non-convertible debentures (income debentures and wealth debentures) by fraudulently luring the gullible public on the pretext of giving higher interest by issuing money receipts and certificates to this effect without having any authorisation whatsoever from any regulatory authority namely RBI, SEBI etc. To do such activities,” the ED claimed.
The company, it said, was found to be “misappropriating” the invested amount and “diverting” the funds by way of granting loans and advances to its other group concerns like Nava Diganta Projects Ltd. And Nava Diganta Properties Ltd.
PTI
