ED files chargesheet against founder of Unitech Group, others

The Enforcement Directorate has filed a prosecution complaint against the founder of Unitech Group and others under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act

The Enforcement Directorate has filed a prosecution complaint against the founder of Unitech Group Ramesh Chandra, Preeti Chandra (Sanjay Chandra's wife) and Rajesh Malik of Carnoustie Group under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002. It is to be noted that Ramesh Chandra is the father of Sanjay Chandra.

The trio was arrested on October 4 in a money laundering case.

ED has accused Unitech Group of transferring approximately Rs 347.5 crores to Carnoustie Group which in turn purchased immovable and movable assets in NCR, across India and abroad. The charge sheet was filed last week.

Supreme Court has recently allowed ED to question Sanjay Chandra and his brother Ajay Chandra to interrogate and confront them "with a lot of evidence.

The chargesheet had been filed before the Patiala House Court's Additional Sessions Judge Dharmender Rana.

Senior Advocate Pramod Dubey earlier appeared for Priti Chandra and submitted that she is cooperating with the investigating agency, nothing incriminating has been recovered from any of her premises

Recently, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has attached assets worth Rs 18.14 crore belonging to two benami entities of erstwhile Unitech Group promoters Ajay Chandra and Sanjay Chandra.

The attached properties include one multiplex in Gurugram, six commercial properties in Gurugram and Lucknow and 24 bank accounts and fixed deposit receipts, the agency said.

These assets are in the name of Enova Facility Management Services Pvt Ltd and FNM property Services Pvt Ltd which are benami entities of Chandras, said the ED.

The ED initiated a money-laundering investigation on the basis of various FIRs filed by homebuyers against Unitech Group and its promoters by Delhi Police and the Central Bureau of Investigation.

"Total Proceeds of crime detected by the ED, in this case, is Rs 7,638.43 crore," ED said.

The investigation by the ED revealed that these two benami entities were managed by Chandras through their close confidants and the assets attached were acquired and created from the proceeds of crime diverted from Unitech Group.