‘Illegal Mining’: ED attaches assets worth Rs 71.42 crore in Karnataka
The accused persons generated proceeds of the crime to the tune of Rs 103.85 crore and caused loss to the government exchequer.
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The accused persons transported and traded illegally mined iron for other persons/entities by collecting ‘risk money’ from them to the tune of Rs 40.93 crore. (Express Photo by Ruhani Kaur/File) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) Wednesday said it has provisionally attached immovable properties worth Rs 17.24 crore in Karnataka in a case related to illegal mining. The investigating agency had earlier attached properties worth Rs 54.18 crore in the case. The total attachment now stands at Rs 71.42 crore.
The ED said it initiated an investigation under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, on the basis of an FIR registered by the Special Investigation Team, Karnataka Lokayukta, against M/s Karadapudi Mahesh, his brothers, and associates under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957, and the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.
The ED said illegally mined iron ore was transported and traded by the main accused, K Mahesh, and his brothers, K Govindaraj, K Sadashiva, and K Kumar, with the help of their associates without valid permits or on the basis of fake and forged permits to the tune of Rs 62.92 crore. Further, the accused persons also transported and traded illegally mined iron for other persons/entities by collecting ‘risk money’ from them to the tune of Rs 40.93 crore.
The accused persons generated proceeds of the crime to the tune of Rs 103.85 crore and caused loss to the government exchequer, said an ED official.
“It was further noticed that most of the amount was received in cash and the same was used in the acquisition of immovable properties in the name of accused persons and their family members during the relevant period of commissioning of scheduled offence. Further investigation is under progress,” the ED said in its statement.
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