ED Arrests Unitech Founder Ramesh Chandra, His Daughter-In-Law Preeti In Money Laundering Case

Total Proceeds of Crime detected by ED, in this case, is Rs 7638.43 crore. 

Representative Photo

New Delhi: Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday arrested Unitech's founder Ramesh Chandra, his daughter-in-law Preeti Chandra under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002.

Preeti Chandra is the wife of jailed Unitech promoter Sanjay Chandra. The central agency has also arrested Rajesh Malik of Carnoustie Management (India) Pvt.

They will be produced in court on October 5 for remand, the ED said, as reported by news agency ANI. 

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on September 30 attached 29 land parcels measuring 13,600 square meters having a book value of Rs 30.29 crore in relation to the investigation being conducted against Unitech Group.

The land parcels are situated in sectors 96-98 in Uttar Pradesh's Noida. These land parcels were illegally allotted to Carnoustie Management (India) Pvt Ltd (CMPL) by Chandras of Unitech Group, the ED had informed.

The central agency’s investigation revealed that Unitech Group had diverted Proceeds of Crime to the tune of Rs 347.95 Crore to Carnoustie Group and in turn, the entities of Carnoustie Group have purchased several immovable properties in India and abroad from these Proceeds of Crime.

Previously, ED had carried out search operations on 41 locations in NCR and Mumbai on the premises of Shivalik Group, Trikar Group, Unitech Group & Carnoustie Group.

After analysis of seized records followed by the disclosures of various persons, the above diversion and layering of POC has been unearthed. 

The Chandra brothers, accused of siphoning home buyers' money, are lodged in Taloja jail in Mumbai after the Supreme Court directed that they be transferred from Tihar. The SC gave the directions after the ED claimed that the brothers were conducting business from inside the Tihar jail by conniving with the prison staff.

The ED's money laundering case is based on a number of Delhi Police Economic Offences Wing and CBI FIRs filed by homebuyers against the Unitech Group and its promoters.

The ED filed a criminal case under various sections of the PMLA earlier this year against the Unitech Group and its promoters over allegations that the owners -- Sanjay Chandra and Ajay Chandra -- illegally diverted over Rs 2,000 crore to Cyprus and the Cayman Islands.

The ED had said that the total proceeds of crime detected in this case stand at Rs 7,638.43 crore and it has attached properties worth Rs 672.52 crore till now as part of this investigation, news agency PTI reported. 

(With Inputs From Agencies)