ED attaches assets worth Rs 7.90 cr in 2 NDPS cases

New Delhi, Jan 23 (IANS) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday said that they have attached assets worth Rs 7.90 crore in connection with two NDPS cases pertaining to Gurdeep Singh Rano and others, and Rajesh Kumar and others.

The attached assets include 16 immovable properties consisting of land and building in Punjab pertaining to Gurdeep Singh Rano and his family members and 11 immovable properties consisting of land in Punjab pertaining to Rajesh Kumar and his family members.

The assets attached also included movable properties, balance in bank accounts, cash and gold ornaments.

The ED initiated money laundering investigation on the basis of the FIR registered by Special Task force, Punjab Police under various sections of the NDPS Act, IPC and Arms Act.

An official said that Rano had links with other suspected illicit drug smugglers, namely Simranjit Singh and Tanvir Bedi, who are residing abroad. The ED initiated money laundering investigation against Rajesh Kumar on the basis of the FIR registered by Punjab Police at Police Station City Faridkot, under NDPS Act. Kumar was selling intoxicant drugs in the guise of medical store run by him.

"ED investigation revealed that in both PMLA cases, most of the immovable properties were bought in cash wherein the accused were not able to produce any documentary evidences in support of source of cash. Investigation further revealed that in some cases, cash was deposited in the bank accounts of known persons to layer the Proceeds of Crime for purchasing immovable properties," the official said.

Further investigation in the matter is on.

--IANS

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