ED had accused Preeti Chandra of money laundering and stashing funds abroad. Sanjay Chandra and his brother are in Mumbai Jails
Synopsis of the story
During the probe, ED has claimed that Unitech had diverted Rs 347.95 crores to Carnoustie Group and it had then purchased land in India and abroad.
Enforcement Directorate has arrested Unitech promoter Sanjay Chandra’s father Ramesh Chandra, wife Preeti Chandra, and a real estate promoter Rajesh Malik. Ramesh Chandra is the founder of Unitech Group. All three will be produced in a special court, on Tuesday, and ED is expected to seek their custodial remand. A few days back ED had provisionally attached 29 land parcels measuring 13600 squaring meters in sector 96-98 of Noida worth Rs 30.29 crores.
“These land parcels were illegally allotted to Carnoustie Management (India) Private Limited by Chandras of Unitech Group.
The source of funds for the said purchase was homebuyer’s funds earlier transferred to CMPL by Chandras,” said ED in a press statement issued then.
ED has been investigating Chandras on several criminal cases filed by the Delhi Police and the CBI on complaints filed by home buyers against Unitech and its promoters.
In April, ED had made a submission before Delhi court that Preeti Chandra is involved in “money laundering” “stashing funds abroad”.
She had acquired citizenship of Dominica but there was a local out circular notice against preventing her from leaving the country.
During the probe, ED has claimed that Unitech had diverted Rs 347.95 crores to Carnoustie Group and it had then purchased land in India and abroad.
“Total proceeds of crime found so far, in this case, is Rs 7638.43 crore,” ED said. The probe agency had also carried searches in 41 locations in Delhi, NCR and Mumbai on premises of Unitech and Carnoustie Group.
Recently on directions of the Supreme Court Sanjay Chandra and his brother Ajay Chandra have been shifted to Arthur Road Jail and Taloja Jail.
This development followed after the ED informed the Apex Court that the brothers were running an “underground office in south Delhi” despite being incarcerated in Tihar Jail.
On directions of the court, the CP of Delhi Rakesh Asthana has been conducting an inquiry and Tihar Jail officials have been examined.
Sanjay Chandra was also named as an accused in the 2G scam but a special court acquitted him and others in 2017. CBI and ED has appealed against the acquittal in the Delhi High Court.
A few days ago, the agency had attached 29 land parcels having on-paper value of ₹30.29 crore, taking the total attachment of assets to ₹672.52 crore in the case.
According to the ED, the proceeds of crime committed by the accused was ₹7,638.43 crore.
