The Enforcement Directorate (ED) today attached movable and immovable property worth Rs 1.25 crore of Sunny Priyadarshi, the alleged kingpin of multi-crore fake cheque scam busted in Bihar in May 2013.
The attached property includes two flats in Lotus Apartment at the posh Patliputra Colony in Patna, a Suzuki Hayabusa bike worth Rs 17 lakh, two SUVs, a few bank accounts and insurance policies, ED sources said.
The ED, which had earlier attached assets worth Rs two crore of two other accused, is investigating the scam under Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 after the case was referred to it by the Economic Offences Unit of Bihar Police.
The ED has taken the booked value of Priyadarshi's property, though on the current market prices it would worth more, the sources said.
The EOU had arrested 13 persons, including three bank officials, in connection with the scam that involved withdrawing crores of rupees from government accounts using forged cheques.
The gang members used to print fake cheques in the name of various government and non-government agencies across the country. The cheques were then encashed in various banks in different parts of the country.
Some bank officials provided logistic support and numbers of unused cheque leaves of the respective accounts.
The gang members encashed the cheques at branches of various banks in different parts of the country. Bank officials provided logistic support.
Once the money of the encashed cheques were deposited in the banned accounts operated by the gang, it was quickly withdrawn from ATMs in different parts of the country.
According to official reports the group is suspected to have withdrawn around Rs 8 crore through fake cheques from various public and private sector banks.
