JOIN USFormer Lokayukta Y Bhaskar Rao’s son Yerrabati Ashwin is in for further trouble as the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday attached his assets worth Rs 5.5 crore in connection with money laundering case.
The assets, both movable and immovable, of Y Ashwin were attached under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). A PMLA case was registered against him.
The ED said investigations carried out by it showed that Ashwin misused the official position of his father Y Bhaskar Rao. He, along with V Bhaskar alias ‘420’ Bhaskar, Ashok Kumar and suspended Lokayukta PRO Syed Riyaz, extorted huge sums from several public servants and projected and layered the amounts as untainted money.
The Bengaluru wing of the Enforcement Directorate detected flow of funds to the tune of Rs 5.92 crore to Ashwin's bank accounts during the period under probe, a statement said.
“The investigations also showed that the proceeds of crime were utilised by him (Ashwin) for purchase of various movable and immovable properties. Accordingly, the ED identified such movable and immovable properties all worth around Rs 5.5 crore, and the same have been provisionally attached under the provisions of PMLA. Further investigations are in progress,” the ED officials said.
The Special Investigation Team of Karnataka Lokayukta had filed FlRs against Ashiwn and others, on charges of extortion, blackmailing, demanding and taking money from various government servants on the pretext of helping them in investigations carried against them by Karnataka Lokayukta. The Enforcement Directorate, Bengaluru, took up the case after finding a prima-facie case of money laundering.