NSEL scam: ED attaches Sena leader Pratap Sarnaik’s assets worth Rs 11 cr

“On the basis of the money trail, scrutiny and identification, assets consisting of 2 flats and a parcel of land in Thane, Maharashtra amounting to total Rs. 11.35 crore held by Pratap Sarnaik… have been provisionally attached under PMLA, 2002,” said the ED in a statement.

The agency added that the remaining Rs 10.50 crore, originating from Aastha Group, was paid to a person named Yogesh Deshmukh and the money has already been attached by the ED. “Earlier in this case, assets amounting to Rs 3,242.67 crore have been attached. The value of total attached assets in this case now stands at Rs 3,254.02 crore,” the ED said.

The ED probe is based on a case filed against the NSEL in 2013 with the Economic Offences Wing of the Mumbai police.

“In this case, accused persons hatched a criminal conspiracy to defraud the investors, induced them to trade on the platform of NSEL, created forged documents like bogus warehouse receipts, falsified the accounts and thereby committed criminal breach of trust in respect Rs 5,600 crore of approximately 13,000 investors,” the ED said.

“Investigation conducted under PMLA revealed that the money collected from various investors were diverted by borrowers/trading members of NSEL for other activities like investment into real estate, repayment of outstanding debts and other activities,” it added.