The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday said it has taken possession of 15 immovable assets of DMK MP A Raja which were held in a "benami" manner. These assets, worth about Rs 55 crore, allegedly belong to Raja as part of a money laundering probe against the former Union Telecom Minister.
"ED has taken possession of 15 immovable properties owned by A. Raja, former Union Cabinet Minister of Environment and Forest in the name of his Benami Company M/s Kovai Shelters Promoters India Pvt Ltd, under the provisions of PMLA, 2002 in the matter of disproportionate assets case of A. Raja, subsequent to confirmation of the Provisional Attachment order," the federal agency said in a statement.
ED attached Raja's properties last year too
Earlier in December 2022, the ED attached Raja's 45 acres of land in Coimbatore and the Adjudicating Authority of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) approved this order on June 1. During the course of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) investigation, ED found that Raja, during his tenure as minister of environment and forests, had granted environmental clearances to a real estate company, based out of Gurugram.
What's the accusation against Raja?
During the further course of investigation, the federal agency also found that the real estate company had given kickback to Raja for awarding the green nod, around the same period in the year 2007, in the garb of land commission income in the hands of one benami company of the DMK MP.
It should be noted here that benami means 'no name' or 'without name' and such properties are those in which the real beneficiary is not the one in whose name the property has been purchased.
(With inputs from agencies)
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