ED attaches Rs 60 lakh property linked to jailed ex-minister Gayatri Prajapati’s son in money laundering case

LUCKNOW: Directorate of Enforcement (ED), Lucknow Zonal Office on Wednesday has provisionally attached movable property belonging to Anil Kumar Prajapati, son of former jailed minister Gayatri Prasad Prajapati under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.

The movable property of Rs 60 Lakh in form of credit balance in the bank account of M/s Balaji Corporation Pvt. Ltd., was booking amount of a flat in project “Vertu” Wadala, Mumbai retained by builder M/s Balaji Corporation Pvt. Ltd.

ED had initiated investigation on the basis of FIR registered by UP Vigilance Establishment, Lucknow against Gayatri Prasad Prajapati, ex- minister of mining, UP for the act of acquiring disproportionate assets and conducting criminal misconduct on the basis of recommendation of the Lokayukta, UP.

ED investigation revealed that Gayatri Prasad Prajapati, while holding the post of mining minister of Uttar Pradesh, misused his official position and had acquired huge assets disproportionate to his source of income in the name of his family members and other close associates/ friends which was not commensurate to their known sources of income. Gayatri Prasad Prajapati and his family members laundered the illicit funds generated during his tenure as a Minister in the Govt. of UP through various entities through a series of fictitious and sham transactions and acquired multiple assets. He also used bank accounts of his family members to deposit the illegitimate cash, earned by him for his illegal gains.

Earlier, ED had attached 71 immovable properties in the form of lands/buildings acquired in the name of Gayatri Prajapati’s family members, various legal entities, benami holders, relatives, employees and friends and deposits made in Bank Account, totally valued at Rs.50.37 Crore.

ED had previously conducted search action at 13 locations, in Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and Delhi in this case. The search action led to discovering crucial evidence which has led to the present attachment of the property. The total value of attached properties till date Rs. 50.97 Crore approx.