New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Saturday served notices to property registrars in Delhi, Mumbai, and Lucknow to take possession of assets worth Rs 661 crore in connection with the AJL case linked to Congress.
Official sources said that notice has been served to property registrars in the three cities in connection with properties of Associated Journals Ltd (AJL) on April 11, in accordance with Section 8 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, and Rule 5(1) of the associated rules.
The agency in a statement released said, “As part of the process to take possession of the tainted properties in the Associated Journals Limited (AJL) money laundering case, the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) in compliance with Section 8 of PMLA, 2002 and Rule 5(1) of the Prevention of Money Laundering (Taking Possession of Attached or Frozen Properties Confirmed by the Adjudicating Authority) Rules, 2013, on April 11 has served notices to Registrars of property in Delhi, Mumbai and Lucknow having jurisdiction of the area where AJL properties are located.”
It said a notice under Rule 5(3) has been issued to Jindal South West Projects Limited, the occupant of the 7th, 8th, and 9th floors of Herald House in Bandra (E) Mumbai. “The company has been directed to transfer monthly rent payments to the Director of the Enforcement Directorate,” the agency said.
ED said these properties were attached after extensive investigation which revealed “signification generation, possession and use of proceeds of crime to the tune of Rs 988 crores”.
“Therefore, to secure the proceeds of crime and to prevent the accused form dissipating the same, the immovable properties of AJL located at Delhi, Mumbai and Lucknow valued at Rs 661 crores along-with the shares of AJL valued at Rs 90.2 crores were attached by issuing provisional attachment order (PAO) dated November 20, 2023 by the Directorate of Enforcement and the same has been confirmed by the Ld. Adjudicating Authority on April 10, 2024,” the agency said.
The proceedings against the accused have been challenged but courts have allowed the investigation to proceed.