ED files PMLA case against Odisha engineer

New Delhi [India], November 4 : The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has filed a PMLA case against a junior engineer in the Rural Development of Odisha and his wife with prayer for conviction of the accused persons and confiscation of properties worth Rs. 1.16 crore, agency officials said on Friday.
The case was registered under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA) on October 30 against Basanta Kumar Bastia and his wife Rina Bastia in the Court of the Sessions Judge, Khurda at Bhubaneswar-Cum-Special Court (PMLA) in Bhubaneswar with prayer for conviction of the accused persons and confiscation of properties worth Rs. 1.16 crore, the agency said in an official statement.
The Special Court has taken cognizance of the prosecution complaint on November 2 with direction to issue summons to the accused persons.
ED initiated an investigation on the basis of an FIR registered by Cuttack Division's vigilance under various sections of the Prevention of Corruption (Amendment) Act, 2018 against Basanta Kumar Bastia and Rina Bastia for possessing disproportionate assets.
The ED investigation revealed that Basanta Kumar Bastia has invested his allegedly ill-gotten income, being over and above his known source of income, in acquiring various immovable properties and in bank investments in his name as well as in the name of his wife, who also actively assisted the former in the acquisition of properties without having a legal source thereof.
ED has earlier attached assets to the tune of Rs. 1.16 crore to the case by issuing a provisional attachment order in August 2023.
"Attached properties include eight land parcels to the tune of Rs. 1.02 crore, which were spread in the two districts of Khurda and Cuttack," the ED said.