ED attaches Rs 1.56 crore assets in J-K in a money laundering case

New Delhi [India], April 2 : The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has provisionally attached movable and immovable properties worth Rs 1.56 crore in the form of land, a residential house and a vehicle in a money laundering case, the agency said on Tuesday.
ED's Srinagar Zonal office attached the movable and immovable properties in the form of land, measuring one Kanal, three Marlas situated in Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir along with a two-storey residential house made thereon and a vehicle of one Niamat Ali Bhat under the provisions of Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.
It is in a case related to Hakeem Imtiyaz, Junior Engineer of R&B Department of Jammu and Kashmir, who, by abusing his official position furthered the criminal conspiracy with private Cellular operators and Contractors including one Niamat Ali Bhat, causing a misappropriation of government funds.
ED initiated investigation on the basis of the First Information Report registered by Anti Corruption Bureau, Anantnag, J&K under various sections of J&K Prevention of Corruption Act, RPC Act, PC Act, 1988 and Indian Penak Code, 1860 against one Hakeem Imtiyaz, Junior Engineer of R&B Department, J&K and others.
ED investigation revealed that Hakeem Imtiyaz, in a criminal conspiracy with others including one Niamat Ali, fraudulently obtained the funds of Rs 2.67 crore claimed for repairing the property which got damaged during laying of Fiber-optic Cables, and deposited into a bank account with a single operator, which was fraudulently opened in the name of "Assistant Engineer, PW (R&B) Division, Shopian" with intention of siphoning off the said fund.
"It has been further revealed that upon receipt of Proceeds of Crime into the bank accounts, Niamat Ali Bhat had used the part of the same, for acquisition and construction of the attached properties," said the ED in a statement.