New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed charge sheet against Jitendra Nath Patnaik and a partnership firm B.D. Patnaik in connection with a money laundering case seeking punishment for the accused persons and confiscation of the proceeds of crime worth Rs 133.87 crore.
The ED in a statement said that it filed a charge sheet against Jitendra Nath Patnaik and partnership firm B.D. Patnaik under Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA) on October 30 in the Court of the Sessions Judge, Khurda at Bhubaneswar – Cum – Special Court (PMLA), Bhubaneswar with prayer for punishment of the accused persons for offence of money laundering and also for confiscation of the proceeds of crime worth Rs 133.87 crore.
The court took cognizance of the Prosecution Complaint on October 31.
The ED registered a case on the basis of the FIR registered by the Balasore Vigilance Police Station, Odisha Police, and subsequent charge sheet filed by the Vigilance Cell Police Station, Cuttack, Odisha under various sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, IPC, 1860, Forest Conservation Act, 1980, Mining & Mineral (Development & Regulation) Act, 1957 and Mineral Conservation and Development Rules, 1988 against him and 14 other public servants in connection with alleged illegal mining.
“ED probe revealed that Patnaik, Partner in BD Patnaik has been involved in illegal mining without having any valid mining lease from state government and necessary clearances from Ministry of Environment and Forest which caused a loss to the exchequer to the tune of Rs 130.39 crore from 1989 to 2009.
“He utilised the illegally generated proceeds into his other businesses and enriched himself and his family members,” the ED said.
Earlier, ED had carried out search operations at the premises related to Patnaik in Bhubaneswar and Joda, Keonjhar on May 11 last year which resulted in seizure of Fixed Deposits amounting to Rs 133.17 crore and Indian currency amounting to Rs 70.01 lakh.
With respect to the seizure, upon an application by the ED, the Adjudicating Authority, PMLA, New Delhi had allowed retention of the seized properties vide order dated November 1 this year.
(IANS)
