ED attaches over Rs 4-cr assets of HP based narco dealer

Assets worth over Rs 4 crore of an alleged Himachal Pradesh-based narcotics dealer have been attached under the anti-money laundering law, the ED said on Monday.

The federal probe agency said it has issued a provisional order under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) for attachment of six plots of accused Deep Ram Thakur located in Shimla and Solan, two houses along with land and a flat in Shimla, a BMW car and bank balance of Rs 36.29 lakh.

The total value of the frozen assets is Rs 4.49 core.

"Thakur was engaged in illegal drug business and was also into construction business. A part of the proceeds of crime derived from illegal drug business was used indirectly by way of infusing it into his construction business and then routing it through banking channel to create assets," the Enforcement Directorate (ED) said in a statement.

In addition to this, majority of the proceeds of crime derived from illegal drug business was used directly to create assets. It is also revealed that accused had acquired benami property in the name of his relatives, the agency said.

It said the agency sleuths had conducted searches at various premises of the accused on November 19 and had seized certain documents and material.

The agency took over the case on the basis on an FIR of the Himachal Pradesh police against Thakur and others.

Further investigation in the case is under progress, it said.