The Directorate of Enforcement is working overtime in Rajasthan. Apart from arresting RPSC member Babulal Katara in paper leak case, ED seized 5.3 kg gold worth Rs 3.21 crore during two days search in the case related Department of Information Technology (DoIT) where police has seized cash of Rs 2.31 crore and one kg gold in the locker of a government building housing the DoIT office.
ED has carried out search operations under PMLA, 2002 on 13-14 September 2023 at 17 premises including lockers, residences and office premises of various companies, which were awarded contracts for LED Video walls and e-Mitra Projects from DOIT, RajComp Info Services Limited and Rajasthan government.
These projects were supervised by accused Ved Prakash Yadav, the then Joint Director, DoIT, Rajasthan. During the search operations, 5.3 Kg Gold worth Rs. 3.21 crore, various incriminating documents including digital evidences were recovered and seized.
The ‘owner' of the recovered gold is still not known. ED officials are investigating and enquiring officials about the recovery.
Earlier, the central agency has discussed the case with top officials of DoIT.
The Case
This is a sensational case in which a cash of Rs 2.31 crore and one kg gold was found in the official almirah of a government building – Yojana Bhawan – which houses the IT department among few other department. This is the first time that unsolicited cash of huge amount has been recovered from the basement of a government building. The state police registered a case against joint director Ved Prakash Yadav under whose custody the locker was there. Later the case was transferred to Anti Corruption Bureau which arrested Yadav and sent him to jail. Yadav didn't give any lead to ACB and was later released on bail.
ED initiates investigation
After 3 months, ED suddenly swung into action and arrested Ved Prakash Yadav on August 9 under the provisions of Prevention of Money Laundering Act, PMLA (2002). ED ED initiated investigation under the PMLA, 2002, on the basis of FIR registered by ACB Rajasthan Police, under various sections of IPC against Ved Prakash Yadav, the then Joint Director, DoIT & Communication, Rajasthan.
FIR alleged that during file scanning work at the UID Branch of DoIT & Communication, two bags were found in an almirah in the basement filled with denomination bank notes of Indian currency 500 and Indian currency 2000 amounting to Rs 2.31 Crore and one gold bar of one kg valued at Rs 61.80 lakhs allegedly belonging to Ved Prakash Yadav.
ACB, Jaipur filed charge-sheet for acquiring disproportionate assets (DA) by Yadav to the tune of Rs 3.35 crore during the period 31.03.1994 to 21.05.2023. During the search operations, sale deeds of properties, various incriminating documents and electronic device were recovered and seized by ED. Ved Prakash Yadav was arrested on August 9, 2023 by ED and produced before the Special Court PMLA, Jaipur on August 10, 2023.
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