India News | Gayatri Prajapati's Sons Sold off Assets for Funds to 'influence' Key Witnesses in Rape Case: ED

New Delhi, Dec 31 (PTI) The sons of former Uttar Pradesh minister Gayatri Prajapati, who is accused in a rape case, sold off some of his assets to garner funds for "influencing key witnesses" of the case apart from personal gains, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) alleged on Thursday.

The central probe agency had raided the residential and office premises of Prajapati, his sons and associates, who allegedly hold his benami assets, on Wednesday in Lucknow, Kanpur and Amethi.

The agency seized Rs 1.42 lakh cash, demonetised currency of Rs 11.50 lakh, stamp papers worth Rs 5 lakh, some property-related documents and computers during the raids.

"During the search more than 100 registries of different properties spread across Lucknow, Kanpur, Amethi, Sitapur and other areas were unearthed."

"In addition, allotment letters of four villas in Mumbai, valued at Rs 2.5 crore each, belonging to the family members of the former minister were also seized," it said in a statement issued here.

The agency said its probe conducted under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act found that "after the arrest of Prajapati in March, 2017 in a rape case, his sons have clandestinely sold off some of the properties for personal gains and influencing key witnesses in the trial case against him."

Prajapati, who held the mining portfolio in the Samajwadi Party government led by Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, is accused of raping a woman and attempting to molest her minor daughter along with others.

He was arrested and sent to jail on March 15, 2017 and is in judicial custody at present.

The money laundering case against him was filed by the Enforcement Directorate last year on the basis of a CBI FIR registered to probe alleged irregularities in the grant of mining leases in Uttar Pradesh.

The ED is probing his role in connection with the "renewal of sand mining leases in Fatehpur district between 2012-2016 where it is alleged that Prajapati, in collusion with other government officials and private persons, got the mining leases renewed without following proper process of e-tendering and thereby aiding and abetting illegal mining in the district."

The agency claimed that "cash deposits in the bank accounts of Prajapati family members and companies were found to be non-commensurate with their income tax filings."

"It was revealed that during the period the accused (Prajapati) remained minister in the UP government his company rose exponentially in net worth which he could not explain satisfactorily during his examination," the ED claimed.

It added that his family members "had paid substantial tax on undisclosed income" under the government's Income Declaration Scheme (IDS) or the black money declaration scheme of 2016.

The ED said the probe against benami asset holders of Prajapati "revealed that they were daily wage earners from humble backgrounds and incapable of owning or acquiring the properties found during investigation."

"Twenty-three properties ranging between Rs 3-36 lakh in the name of a single benami, and whose residence was also searched, have also been found," the ED said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)