ED attaches Muzaffarpur shelter home case accused's assets worth Rs 7.3 cr under PMLA

The ED Wednesday said it has attached assets worth Rs 7.30 crore, including 23 plots, of Bihar's Muzzafarpur shelter home sexual assault case prime accused Brajesh Thakur, under the anti-money laundering law.

The case came to light last year after reports alleged that girl inmates of the shelter home were raped and sexually assaulted.

The agency said it has issued a provisional order under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) for the attachment of assets of Thakur, the owner of the centre and the NGO, Sewa Sankalp Evam Vikas Samiti, that ran it.

"Immovable and movable properties consisting of 26 plots of land, three vehicles, bank balance in 37 accounts and investments in mutual funds and insurance policies, totalling to Rs 7.30 crore, have been attached. These assets belong to accused Brajesh Thakur and his family," the Enforcement Directorate (ED) said.

It said funds granted to Thakur's NGO by the government and others were "siphoned off" by him and his family members to allegedly amass illegal assets for themselves.

The ED had filed a PMLA case in this context in October last year after taking cognisance of a CBI FIR.

"Huge funds were received by this NGO from the government and other sources which were meant to be spent on welfare of girl children and others. Investigation revealed that funds received by the NGO were not utilised for the stated objectives of the welfare of the children.

"It has also been found that the funds received by the NGO were illegally diverted/siphoned off for acquisition of properties and personal use by Thakur and his family members," the ED said in a statement.

It added that documents gathered during investigation "revealed that donation from other sources and government aid to the tune of Rs 7,57,48,820 was received by the NGO during the financial years 2011-12 to 2016-17."
Thakur and his family members, the agency said, have "misappropriated these funds for their personal benefit and for acquisition of huge immovable and movable assets in their names."
It said around Rs 1.53 crore funds were "transferred" from the account of the NGO to the bank accounts of 'Prath Kamal', a daily newspaper run by the accused, for acquisition of "huge movable and immovable properties and also for payment of fees for medical education of Thakur's son Mehul Anand."