Lalu’s son-in-law money laundering case: ED questions Vinay Mittal

New Delhi: Days after Income Tax department charged six people of RJD Chief Lalu’s family members over benami properties; the ED has questioned Vinay Mittal, the man who made Lalu’s son-in-law Shailesh meet CA Rajesh Aggarwal. As per sources, Vinay Mittal accepted he met Lalu’s son-in-law Shailesh years ago at 25, Tughlaq road; which was a residential address of Lalu Yadav back then. As per allegations levied on Rajesh Aggarwal, he got black money worth more than Rs 150 Crore converted into white. Rajesh Aggarwal was arrested by ED, but it wasn’t clear that where did he get money from. The ED is probing the case on the basis of money laundering act. If the charges levied against Shailesh are proved, he might have to go to jail. The matter came to light when Lalu’s daughter Misa Bharti’s company got money via various shell companies. The Income Tax Department has charged six family members of RJD chief Lalu Prasad, including wife, son and daughters, under the new and stringent anti- benami assets Act in connection with its probe into land deals worth Rs 1,000 crore. The department has also served notices of attachment of assets to Lalu's MP daughter Misa Bharti, son-in-law Shailesh Kumar, his wife and former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi, son and Bihar Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav and daughters Chanda and Ragini Yadav. The provisional attachment order, accessed by media, has been issued under Section 24(3) (where the taxman thinks the person in possession of the property held benami may alienate the property) of the Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Act, 2016 and Lalu's kin have been identified as the "beneficiaries" of the alleged benami assets. Violators under the Act, enacted in 1988 but implemented from November 1 last year, attract a rigorous imprisonment (RI) of up to 7 years and fine up to 25 per cent of the fair market value of the property.