Money laundering probe: The Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday conducted raids at the premises of retired IAS officer Ramesh Abhishek, who formerly served as the Secretary of the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT). These raids are part of an investigation into allegations of money laundering associated with disproportionate assets, official sources said.
ED's investigation stems from a recent FIR filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) against Ramesh Abhishek, who is a 1982-batch officer. Earlier in February, he was subjected to raids by the CBI as part of their inquiry. Abhishek retired in 2019 from the DPIIT (erstwhile Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion) under the Commerce and Industry Ministry.
According to the sources, the federal agency is conducting searches at Ramesh Abhishek's premises in the Greater Kailash area of the national capital, along with other locations, as part of a money laundering investigation.
Here's what CBI said in FIR
The CBI had alleged in its FIR that Abhishek enriched himself "illicitly" after retirement by receiving "huge amounts" as consultation fee from private companies whose matters he had dealt while in service. The CBI and ED have also booked his daughter Vanessa as part of the probe.
Abhishek, who also served as the chairman of the Forward Markets Commission, came under scrutiny following a reference from the anti-corruption ombudsman Lokpal.
The Lokpal alleged that the father-daughter duo received big amounts as professional fee from various entities and organisations with whom the former IAS officer had official dealings as the secretary or the chairman.
The funds received were purportedly invested in a property in the upscale Greater Kailash-2 area of New Delhi. The anti-corruption ombudsman had alleged that Abhishek invested the funds in the property which were outcome of "doubtful sudden rise" in earlier investments of the family in immovable properties or "sudden" increase in business income in short period.
(With PTI inputs)
Also Read: 'Are people who voted for AAP Pakistanis?': Arvind Kejriwal hits back at Amit Shah
