ED attaches Rs 51 crore properties of Jagan, associates

The agency, which has questioned Jagan extensively in the past few months, has attached more than 13 acres of land of Ms Janani Infrastructure Private Limited and fixed deposits worth Rs 14.50 crore of Ms Jagati Publication Limited as "kickbacks allegedly received in lieu of granting favours" to private entities.

Both the companies are owned by Jagan.

The MP is at present lodged in the Chenchalguda central prison in the state capital under the judicial custody of CBI which is probing him and others in an alleged corruption and cheating case during the reign of his father and the then Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy.

The attachment order, issued under the stringent provisions of the Prevention of Money laundering Act (PMLA), was also against private companies which were "illegally benefited as a result of criminal activity" and illegal sanctions granted during the tenure of Y S Rajasekhara Reddy.

The other properties attached by the agency are 35 acres of land and fixed deposit of Rs 3 crore of Ms Hetero Drugs Limited, 96 acres of land of Ms APL Research Centre Limited, a 100 per cent subsidiary of Ms Aurobindo Pharma Limited, and fixed deposit of Rs 3 crore of Aurobindo Pharma.

The properties of these firms have been attached as the agency alleges that these companies received illegal favours from the then Andhra Pradesh government.

The ED attachment ensures that these properties cannot be used by the accused and he is devoid of any benefits from these assets, and such an order can be challenged by the accused at the adjudicating authority of the PMLA. (MORE)