New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) Wednesday provisionally seized properties worth Rs 538.05 crore of grounded airline Jet Airways, in connection with a money-laundering investigation.
The central agency said the properties in London, Dubai and India, included 17 residential flats and bungalows, and commercial premises in the name of various group companies and officials. These belonged to Jetair Private Limited, Jet Enterprises Private Limited, founder chairman of Jet Airways (India) Limited (JIL) Naresh Goyal, his wife Anita Goyal and son Nivaan Goyal.
Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has provisionally attached properties worth Rs 538.05 Crore under the provisions of Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) 2002 in the money laundering investigation against Jet Airways (India) Limited (JIL). The attached properties include 17… https://t.co/XhT6Ioxro5 pic.twitter.com/l47Hy7kv36
— ANI (@ANI) November 1, 2023
On Tuesday, the ED had filed a chargesheet against Goyal and five others in the alleged fraud of Rs 538 crore from Canara Bank.
Goyal was arrested by the ED on 1 September under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and is currently in judicial custody, lodged at the Arthur Road Jail in Mumbai.
The money laundering case stems from an FIR registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on the bank’s complaint.
Canara Bank alleged it had sanctioned Rs 848.86 crore worth of credit and loans to Jet Airways (India) Ltd, of which Rs 538.62 crore was still outstanding. The FIR was registered against Jet Airways, Goyal, his wife Anita, and other former company executives.
During Goyal’s remand hearing, the CBI accused him of siphoning off money from India by creating various trusts in foreign countries.
The agency said the accused purchased various immovable properties through these trusts. The money was “proceeds of crime” taken abroad from India, the CBI has alleged.
The ED said their probe revealed that Goyal had purchased high-value properties in Mumbai and subsequently sold them. He also allegedly formed a web of companies in India through which he acquired more immovable properties.
Citing an audit report, the ED also claimed that loans availed by Jet Airways were used for purchasing other assets like furniture, apparel and jewellery.