New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday said that it has taken possession of 15 immovable properties & assets of DMK MP Andimuthu Raja (A Raja) over alleged money laundering case. The investigative agency’s crackdown comes on back of the agency investigating disproportionate assets case involving him. Notably, A Raja served as Union Minister in the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government and held the portfolio of Minister for environment and forest, back in 2000s. According to ED probe, the accused A Raja, during his tenure as Environment Minister in the then UPA, granted clearances to Gurugram-based real-estate company and for that he was reportedly given kickbacks. According to ED investigation, the real estate firm had given kickbacks to A Raja after the latter gave a go-ahead to environmental clearances in 2007. The company in the eye of storm is named Benami Company of A. Raja. ED has taken possession of 15 immovable properties owned by A. Raja, former Union Cabinet Minister of Environment and Forest in the name of his Benami Company M/s Kovai Shelters Promoters India Pvt Ltd, under the provisions of PMLA, 2002 in the matter of disproportionate assets… — ED (@dir_ed) October 10, 2023 “Raja had incorporated the company in 2007 in the name of his family members and his close family friend, with the sole objective of using it as a vehicle to park the proceeds of crime. The said company never engaged in any business activity since inception,” said the agency in its findings. The probe agency further said that properties measuring 45 acres of land in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu (worth around Rs.55 Crore) were purchased using the proceeds of crime generated by the DMK MP.
