Bhopal, June 2 (IANS) The Directorate of Enforcement (ED), Bhopal Zonal Office, has provisionally attached movable and immovable properties worth approximately Rs 67.25 crore belonging to Govind Prasad Mehra, former Engineer-in-Chief of the Public Works Department in Madhya Pradesh, and his family members under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.

The action follows an investigation triggered by an FIR registered by the Special Police Establishment (SPE), Lokayukta, Bhopal, under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. The case pertains to Mehra allegedly possessing assets disproportionate to his known sources of income during his service in the Public Works Department, the agency said in a statement.

According to the probe, between March 4, 1985, and February 29, 2024, Mehra acquired assets far exceeding his legitimate earnings. Against a lawful income of around Rs 4 crore, the total assets and expenditure were found to exceed Rs 10 crore, resulting in disproportionate assets of approximately Rs 6 crore, about 150 per cent more than his known income, the statement said.

Searches conducted at premises linked to Mehra and his family led to the recovery of substantial cash, gold jewellery, silver articles, and other valuables. The ED recovered cash amounting to Rs 8.79 lakh and gold jewellery valued at approximately Rs 3.51 crore. The explanations provided for these assets were found to be unsubstantiated.

A major part of the attached properties is the Kasturi Krishi Farm, spread over 70–72 acres in Village Saini, Tehsil Sohagpur, District Narmadapuram. This property was developed into a luxury farm-resort featuring cottages, residential units, internal roads, artificial water bodies, agricultural infrastructure, and high-end amenities.

The market value of the property, including construction and development works worth around Rs 16 crore, has been assessed at Rs 49.44 crore. The sources of funds used for its acquisition and development could not be satisfactorily explained.

The attached assets include residential properties, the luxurious Kasturi Krishi Farm, cash, gold jewellery, silver articles, and other valuables identified as proceeds of crime. The attachment aims to prevent concealment, transfer, or disposal of these properties and to secure them for eventual confiscation under the PMLA.

The ED has shared relevant information with the SPE and the Lokayukta under Section 66(2) of the PMLA. Further investigation in the case is ongoing, the agency said.

–IANS

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