New Delhi [India], June 11 : The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested two former officials of Haryana Shahari Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP) (erstwhile known as HUDA) in a money laundering case, the agency said on Wednesday.
ED's Chandigarh Zonal Office arrested Sunil Kumar Bansal and Ram Niwas, the two former officials of HSVP on June 9 under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002 in the case of misappropriation of public funds in HSVP bank accounts.
https://x.com/dir_ed/status/1932745665869992130
During the period 2019-2024, Ram Niwas was also MLA from Haryana, said the ED in a statement.
ED initiated an investigation on the basis of a First Information Report (FIR) registered by Sector-7, Panchkula (Haryana Police) against unknown persons. This FIR was registered on the basis of a complaint filed by the Drawing and Disbursing Officer (DDO) of HSVP.
"Vide this complaint, HSVP reported that a fraud and financial loss have been committed through a bank account of HSVP maintained with Punjab National bank (PNB), Chandigarh," ED mentioned in the statement.
As per FIR, during 2015 to 2019, debit transactions amounting to Rs 70 crore (approximately) were repeatedly released in favour of some particular parties for no apparent reason from the said bank account of HSVP, causing a loss of Rs 70 crore to HSVP.
During an internal enquiry of HSVP, ED said, "It was found by HSVP that no such bank account was reflected in the cash branch or IT wing of HSVP, meaning thereby that HSVP was defrauded by Sunil Kumar Bansal and Ram Niwas in a clandestine manner."
"During the course of the investigation, it is revealed that fraud is not limited to one bank account or just to Rs 70 crore but is very huge, which has been committed by Sunil Kumar Bansal and Ram Niwas."
ED has attached properties amounting to Rs 21 crore by issuing three Provisional Attachment Orders (PAO). Out of the attached properties amounting to Rs 18.06 crore, are confirmed by Adjudicating Authority, PMLA, New Delhi.
After the arrest of Sunil Kumar Bansal and Ram Niwas, the Additional District and Sessions Court, Panchkula, has granted a custodial remand of five days to ED, added the agency.