Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh. PTI File Photo
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday attached a farmhouse in south Delhi belonging to Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh in a money laundering case.
According to the ED, the property worth Rs 27.29 crore was purchased using funds given by Vakamulla Chandrashekar, the promoter/director of Tarini Group of Companies engaged in hydro-power projects. Chandrashekar gave Rs 5.9 crore to Singh.
The total attachment by the ED in connection with its money laundering probe against the senior Congress leader now stands at Rs 35.22 crore. Last month, the ED had attached Singh’s assets worth Rs 7.93 crore.
The ED said, the farmhouse in Mehrauli was purchased using black and white money. The registry value of the property was shown at Rs 1.20 crore, which was paid through four cheques. However, further investigations showed that another Rs 5.41 crore was paid in cash for the farmhouse.
Last week, the CBI had filed chargesheet against Singh and his wife in the disproportionate assets case. According to the CBI, the chief minister was found in possession of disproportionate assets worth Rs 10.30 crore, which he had amassed between 2009 and 2011 during his stint as union power minister.
Assets of Cong leader’s son seized
The ED has attached assets worth Rs 11.57 crore of two directors, including the son of senior Congress leader Vyalar Ravi, of a health care firm in connection with its money laundering probe into the Rajasthan ambulance scam case.
The agency said it has issued a provisional order against Directors of Ziqitza Healthcare Limited - Sweta Mangal, and Ravi Krishna, son of Ravi, under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. Ziqitza was awarded the tender for 108 ambulance scheme in 2010.