ED attaches Indian Forest Service officer's assets worth over Rs 31 crore in Uttarakhand

New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday said it has attached assets worth more than Rs 31 crore of an Indian Forest Service (IFoS) officer in Uttarakhand as part of a money laundering probe against him.

A school building and a stone crusher plant located in Haridwar and Roorkee districts respectively and owned by IFoS Kishan Chand and his family members have been provisionally seized under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the federal probe agency said in a statement.

The total value of these properties is Rs 31.88 crore, it said.

Chand served as a divisional forest officer (DFO), according to the agency.

The money laundering case stems from an FIR registered by the Uttarakhand government's vigilance department against the officer.

During the probe, it was found that the attached properties are 'proceeds of crime' and a huge amount of cash and cheques in the name of third persons had been deposited in various accounts. The amount so deposited was used to purchase these properties, the ED said.

"During the check period from 01.01.2010 to 31.12.2017, Kishan Chand spent an amount to the tune of Rs 41.9 crore to acquire/purchase movable and immovable properties as well as on other works."

"However, during this period, the income of the officer was Rs 9.8 crore," the agency alleged.

Thus, it said, the IFoS officer had disproportionate assets to the tune of Rs 32.1 crore that are the proceeds of crime, it said.