PMLA case: ED seizes cash, documents related to Suresh Jagubhai Patel

New Delhi, June 21 (IANS) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday said during its recent searches in Daman (UT) and Valsad (Gujarat) in a PMLA case involving notorious criminal Suresh Jagubhai Patel and his accomplices, it recovered over a crore of rupees besides incriminating documents.

"During the searches, Rs 1.62 crore in cash, including over Rs 1 crore in the denomination of Rs 2000, along with documents related to more than 100 properties, power of attorneys, various incriminating documents relating to firms, companies, establishments, cash transactions, digital evidence, and keys to three bank lockers were seized," said the official.

The central agency initiated investigations under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) against Suresh Patel alias Sukha and his accomplices based on cases filed by the Daman Police, Gujarat Police, and Mumbai Police for various offenses including corruption, possession of illegal firearms, murder, and extortion.

In addition to the aforementioned cases, there are over 35 cases registered against Suresh Patel and his accomplices at various Police Stations in Gujarat and Daman for offenses such as liquor smuggling, murder, extortion, attempted murder, possession of illegal firearms, robbery, attacks on government servants, and passport forgery.

"The investigation by the ED revealed that Suresh Patel and his accomplices created a network of companies, many of which had no or very little business. These companies were established with the sole purpose of laundering ill-gotten money generated from their criminal activities, such as bootlegging, extortion, and corruption. It was discovered that the bank accounts of Suresh Patel, his family members, and the companies controlled by him had been credited with cash worth over Rs 100 Crore," said the official.

Patel is accused in more than 10 cases of liquor smuggling into Gujarat, seven cases of forgery and fraud, eight cases of murder or attempted murder, five cases of possession of illegal weapons, one case of corruption, among various other crimes. He has been convicted in a case registered under section 174-A of the Indian Penal Code. Currently, Patel and his accomplices Ketan Patel, Vipul Patel, and Miten Patel are in judicial custody in connection with a double murder that took place in Daman in 2018.

"During the searches on the premises related to Suresh Jagubhai Patel and others, cash worth Rs 1.62 crore, including more than Rs 1 crore in 2000 rupee currency notes, documents related to more than 100 properties (including sale deeds in their name as well as in the name of relatives), agreements, power of attorneys, incriminating documents relating to firms, companies, establishments, cash transactions, digital evidence, and three bank locker keys were seized. The physical and forensic analysis of the seized evidence is ongoing," said the official.

Further investigation into the matter is on.