ED raids premises of former Odisha MLA Jitendra Patnaik, seizes Rs 70 lakh

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) carried out search operations at various offices and residential premises of former MLA of Champua Constituency Jitendra Nath Patnaik and related entities at Joda in Keonjhar district and Bhubaneswar under Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002 and seized Rs 70 lakh cash and Rs 133.17 crore fixed deposits in an illegal mining case.

Patnaik has allegedly derived undue pecuniary advantage by way of illegal mining without necessary statutory approvals.

"A seizure of cash amounting to Rs 70 lakh and 124 Nos of fixed deposits amounting to Rs 133.17 crore have been made during the search operations along with a seizure of various incriminating documents and digital evidences," the investigating agency said.

ED initiated a money-laundering investigation on the basis of the FIR and Chargesheet filed by the State Vigilance Cell of Odisha against Jitendra Nath Patnaik and others.

As per the charge sheet filed by the State Vigilance, the accused indulged into illegal mining for a long period causing a huge loss to the Government Exchequer which amounts to be more than Rs 130 crore. "Thus, ED has been able to recover the almost entire amount of proceeds of crime," it added.

Further investigation is under progress.