Mumbai: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday attached movable properties worth Rs 17.55 crore of M/s R. K. Associates & Hoteliers Pvt Ltd, M/s Satyam Caterers Pvt Ltd. and five others under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), in the Rail Neer scam. The accused firms had caused the state exchequer losses to the tune of Rs 20 crore.
During a PMLA investigation, it was established that the licensees laundered the amount received from the railway department in lieu of the supply of packaged drinking water of brands other than Rail Neer, which was proceeds of crime. The CBI had registered a case in 2015 and has already filed a chargesheet.
The ED initiated an investigation under PMLA 2002 based on the FIR registered by the CBI in October 2015, under charges of criminal conspiracy and cheating and sections of the prevention for corruption act for involvement.
The accused had allegedly supplied packaged drinking water of brands other than IRCTC's “Rail Neer” in Rajdhani and Shatabdi trains, thereby causing full losses to the government exchequer.
The CBI's investigation revealed that private caterers, M/s R.K. Associates & Hoteliers Pvt Ltd, M/s Brandavan Foods Products Ltd, M/s Sunshine Caterers, M/s Satyam Caterers Pvt Ltd, M/s Food World, M/s R.D. Sharma, M/s P.K. Delicacies, M/s Doon Caterers, M/s Ambuj Hotels & Real Estate, servicing Rajdhani and Shatabdi trains were mandated to supply bottles of Rail Neer.
The scam caused losses worth Rs 19.55 crore to the government exchequer between January 2013 and December 2014, following which the CBI registered a case and filed a chargesheet against the accused persons.
“In the PMLA investigation, we established that above licensees laundered the amount received from railway department.
During the PMLA investigation, the movable properties of the seven licensees were identified in their bank accounts, fixed deposits and have been attached,” said an ED officer.
Further investigation is underway in the matter.
