ED attaches Rs 22 crore worth cricket academy, hotels, land of ex-IAS couple in Bhopal  

New Delhi, June 30 (IANS) The ED issued provisional attachment order against a cricket academy, hotels and resorts and the underlying land in a Bhopal village – collectively worth Rs 22.46 crore – in a case related to former bureaucrat couple of Late Arvind Joshi and Tinoo Joshi, an official said on Tuesday.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED), Bhopal Zonal Office, issued the Provisional Attachment Order against the cricket academy and hotels, along with the land situated at Village Semri Bajyafat, Bhopal, under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.

The ED initiated investigation based on an FIR registered by the Special Police Establishment, Lokayukta, Bhopal against late Arvind Joshi and Tinoo Joshi (both ex-IAS Officers of MP Cadre) for possession of movable/immovable assets of Rs 41.87 crore (approx.) disproportionate to their known sources of income, said an official statement.

There were widespread allegations, complaints, information and evidence indicating that late Arvind Joshi and Tinoo Joshi had misused their official position and indulged in corrupt practices, the ED said.

Late Arvind Joshi had acquired numerous movable and immovable properties in his own name as well as in the names of family members and close associates using Proceeds of Crime, the ED said.

Investigation further established that benami entities, sham agreements and layered transactions were used to conceal the beneficial ownership of tainted assets and project them as untainted, said the federal probe agency.

Investigation conducted also established that the affairs of Faith Cricket Club were managed by late Arvind Joshi, as the investment made towards the construction of the cricket academy and allied infrastructure was financed from his illicit wealth through his associate Raghvendra Singh Tomar, it said.

The ED had previously attached properties worth approximately Rs 13.60 crore in this case and filed Prosecution Complaints before the Special Court (PMLA), Bhopal.

The official statement said that further investigation under the PMLA may lead to the identification and attachment of the remaining Proceeds of Crime.

–IANS

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