Shimla: The ED has filed a chargesheet against a former Deputy Drug Controller/Drug Licensing Authority in Special Court (PMLA), Shimla, in a case related to illegal gratification for issuing and renewing drug manufacturing licences in Himachal Pradesh, an official said on Saturday.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED), Shimla, filed the Prosecution Complaint (PC) before the Special Court against former Deputy Drug Controller Kapil Dhiman and others under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.
Earlier, during investigation under PMLA, the ED had also provisionally attached movable and immovable properties belonging to Kapil Dhiman and his family members to the tune of Rs 2.07 crore through a provisional attachment order dated January 12, 2022.
The ED initiated an investigation based on FIR registered by the State Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (SV&ACB), Solan, Himachal Pradesh, under various Sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 and IPC, 1860 against Kapil Dhiman (the then Deputy Drug Controller/Drug Licensing Authority, Solan.
The FIR alleged receipt of illegal gratification for issuing and renewing drug manufacturing licences and accumulation of assets disproportionate to known sources of income.
After their investigation, the ACB officials filed a chargesheet against Dhiman and others on March 9, 2018, in the said matter before the Special Judge, Solan.
During the trial of the scheduled offence, the Special Judge, Solan, in a judgment delivered on December 11, 2024, convicted Kapil Dhiman, Laxman Singh Dhiman (father of Kapil Dhiman) and Puneet Dhiman (nephew of Kapil Dhiman) for their roles in the offence.
The ED investigation revealed that Kapil Dhiman, by abusing his official position, generated Proceeds of Crime (POC) from pharmaceutical firms operating within his jurisdiction and layered and projected the same as untainted by investing in movable and immovable properties in his own name and in the names of his family members and relatives, including his father and nephew.
The illicit funds were routed through benami transactions, unsecured loans without agreements, cash payments and complex banking arrangements, said the ED statement.
(IANS)
