India News | ED Raids Premises of Former Odisha MLA, Seizes over Rs 133 Cr Fixed Deposits
Get latest articles and stories on India at LatestLY. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) carried out search operations at various offices and residential premises of former MLA of Champua Constituency Jitendra Nath Patnaik and related entities at Joda in Keonjhar district and Bhubaneswar under Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002 and seized Rs 70 lakh cash and Rs 133.17 crore fixed deposits in an illegal mining case.
Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], May 12 (ANI): The Enforcement Directorate (ED) carried out search operations at various offices and residential premises of former MLA of Champua Constituency Jitendra Nath Patnaik and related entities at Joda in Keonjhar district and Bhubaneswar under Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002 and seized Rs 70 lakh cash and Rs 133.17 crore fixed deposits in an illegal mining case.
Patnaik has allegedly derived undue pecuniary advantage by way of illegal mining without necessary statutory approvals.
"A seizure of cash amounting to Rs 70 lakh and 124 Nos of fixed deposits amounting to Rs 133.17 crore have been made during the search operations along with a seizure of various incriminating documents and digital evidences," the investigating agency said.
ED initiated a money-laundering investigation on the basis of the FIR and Chargesheet filed by the State Vigilance Cell of Odisha against Jitendra Nath Patnaik and others.
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As per the charge sheet filed by the State Vigilance, the accused indulged into illegal mining for a long period causing a huge loss to the Government Exchequer which amounts to be more than Rs 130 crore. "Thus, ED has been able to recover the almost entire amount of proceeds of crime," it added.
Further investigation is under progress. (ANI)
(The above story is verified and authored by ANI staff, ANI is South Asia's leading multimedia news agency with over 100 bureaus in India, South Asia and across the globe. ANI brings the latest news on Politics and Current Affairs in India & around the World, Sports, Health, Fitness, Entertainment, & News. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)