ED attaches Rs 39 crore assets of former Jharkhand chief engineer

NEW DELHI: The Enforcement Directorate has attached assets worth Rs 39 crore of a former chief engineer of the rural works department of Jharkhand. He was arrested by the agency on money laundering charges in February this year and is currently lodged in Hotwar jail in Ranchi.
The accused, Veerendra Kumar Ram, was posted as chief engineer in rural works department in Ranchi and had generated proceeds of crime in the name of commission from contractors in lieu of allotment of tenders to them, the agency has claimed.
The properties attached include a farmhouse, flats, a duplex bungalow and land in Delhi, Jamshedpur and Ranchi. His three bank accounts having balances of around Rs 36 lakh were also attached. The ED's money laundering probe is based on an FIR registered by ACB, Jamshedpur.
The agency claimed that Ram and his family members lived a very lavish lifestyle and had seven high-end luxury cars and properties acquired in several cities. Earlier, a search was conducted at 30 premises related to Ram in different cities and various incriminating evidence were found and seized.
During the course of search action, cash worth Rs 40 lakh, seven vehicles and jewellery worth Rs 1.5 crore were found and seized which were later found to be the part of proceeds of crime acquired by him.
"Ram was arrested by ED on February 23 after being found guilty of money laundering," ED said. The agency had also arrested his cousin Alok Ranjan on April 11 for assisting him in laundering the proceeds of crime. Both of them are in judicial custody.