New Delhi (India CSR): The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has taken significant action against former Vice Chancellor of Magadh University, Rajendra Prasad, in a case of disproportionate assets. According to an official statement released on December 5, the ED has provisionally attached properties valued at approximately Rs 64.53 lakh. These properties include both immovable and movable assets and are implicated under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.
The attached properties, registered in the names of Rajendra Prasad’s family members and a family-owned trust, are located in Dhanghata, in the Sant Kabir Nagar district of Uttar Pradesh. This enforcement action stems from an investigation initiated by the ED following an FIR lodged by the Special Vigilance Unit (SVU), Patna. This FIR accused Rajendra Prasad and others of engaging in a criminal conspiracy and cheating the government of Bihar during his tenure as Vice Chancellor at Magadh University, Bodh Gaya. Specifically, the allegations involve dishonest activities related to confidential printing works, including OMR sheets.
The SVU conducted raids on premises linked to Rajendra Prasad, which led to the seizure of cash totaling Rs 1.84 crore and the freezing of Rs 90.79 lakh in his bank accounts. Further investigation by the ED revealed that between September 2019 and November 2021, Prasad had used proceeds of crime to acquire five properties in cash. These properties were registered in the name of his son, Ashok Kumar, and RP College, represented by his brother, Awadhesh Prasad. Some of these properties acquired in the name of RP College were later transferred to the Pyari Devi Memorial Welfare Trust on a lease.
The ED’s investigation suggests a ‘well-planned conspiracy’ involving Prasad and his family members. They allegedly attempted to legitimize the properties acquired through illegal means by using the family-owned trust as a cover. The probe revealed that proceeds of crime were also deposited in the bank account of the Pyari Devi Memorial Welfare Trust, presenting them as legitimate income of the trust. The investigation into these matters is ongoing, with the potential for further developments.
