ED attaches over Rs 39 crore assets in Goa illegal land grab case

New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate Saturday said it has attached 31 immovable assets in Goa worth crores of rupees as part of a money laundering investigation against some people who illegally acquired lands in the state by using forged documents.

A provisional order under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) has been issued to attach the properties that are worth a total of Rs 39.24 crore, as per the circle rate, the central probe agency said in a statement.

The money laundering case stems from various FIRs registered by Goa Police against Vikrant Shetty, Mohammed Suhail, Rajkumar Maithi and some others allegedly involved in the illegal grabbing of immovable properties across Goa.

Probe found that various immovable properties were 'illegally' acquired by the accused persons in their names or in the names of their associates or relatives, the ED said. The accused placed 'forged' documents in the land records to support their claim that the immovable properties belonged to their ancestors, it said.

Based on these forged documents they were able to get their names updated or inserted in the land records by making succession deeds and inventories. A few of these illegally acquired properties were sold by the accused to buyers from Goa and other states, the probe agency claimed.