Bhubaneswar: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) Friday claimed to have attached properties worth Rs 1.52 crore belonging to Basanta Das, a mining lease holder, under Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.
A senior ED official said Das, the proprietor of M/S Das Minerals, held the lease of Kasiabeda iron ore mines at Badampahar in Mayurbhanj district.
The Central agency had taken up the investigation after a chargesheet was filed by Odisha Vigilance citing ‘illegal mining’ in Badampahar from 2005 to 2009. On the basis this, ED had also booked Anand Kumar in the past for conniving with Basanta Das in the alleged scam.
It is worth mentioning that searches were conducted in the residential and office premises of Das as part of the investigation.
PNN