The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday attached assets worth Rs 86 lakh of a Bihar-based Maoist commander, in a first-of-its-kind action against such criminals under the anti-money laundering laws.
The central probe agency issued a provisional order for the attachment of both movable and immovable assets of Sandeep Yadav alias Badka Bhaiya and his family under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
The agency said Yadav is in-charge of the Madhya Zone of the Bihar-Jharkhand Special Area Committee of the outlawed CPI (Maoist).
The attached properties include three land plots in the name of his wife Rajanti Devi in Bihar's Aurangabad district, two similar plots in Gaya and an advance payment amount of Rs 10.43 lakh made by Yadav's son-in-law to purchase a flat in Delhi's Dwarka area.
Few vehicles and bank deposits have also been attached as part of the order issued by the agency. The assets attached are worth Rs 86 lakh.
The ED said it took cognisance of Yadav's alleged criminal activities after going through over 100 FIRs and chargesheets filed by the Bihar police against him, his brother Dhanik Lal Mandal and other family members, including his wife and son.
"During investigation, it has been revealed that cash to the tune of more than Rs 1.50 crore have been infused in several bank accounts and immovable assets held in the name of family members of Sandeep Yadav out of which properties valued at Rs 86 lakhs have been detected and attached," the statement said.
The agency said it was also probing the Yadav family for alleged generation of black funds post-demonetisation.
"Huge demonetised currency has been laundered by the cadre of CPI (Maoist)," the ED said.
"During demonetisation, son-in-law of Sandeep Yadav deposited huge cash in his bank account and Mandal made an attempt to launder demonetised currency of Rs 15 lakh by way of depositing the same in the bank account of a petty shopkeeper," it said.
The ED said the case was the "first-ever attachment of properties of top maoist leader by any agency in India".
The criminal cases registered by the police against Yadav and others, the ED said, includes those of "heinous offences such as killing of security forces, murders, extortion, possession of arms and explosives and proceeds of these crimes have been laundered and investment of the same in movable and immovable assets done".
