HP: ED attaches Rs 4.49 cr assets in drug-related PMLA probe

New Delhi : The Enforcement Directorate has attached properties and assets worth Rs 4.49 crore belonging to a Himachal Pradesh man, in connection with a drug-related money-laundering case, where the accused was using supplementary businesses to wash his drug money.

Officials here said that the attachment includes six plots of land in Shimla and Solan, two houses along with land and one flat located in Shimla, one BMW car and bank balances amounting to around Rs 36.29 lakh in six separate bank accounts.

According to the Enforcement Directorate's probe, Deep Ram Thakur was running his own construction business, while also heading an illegal drug racket.

Officials here alleged that Deep Ram would take parts of the proceeds earned through his drug trade and infuse it into his construction business.

He would further use this money to show that his construction firm was buying assets, when in fact, these were purchased with drug-tainted earning.

The financial probe agency also found that large parts of the drug money was also used to purchase assets directly, in some cases benami properties registered to one of his relatives.