PANAJI
The Directorate of Enforcement (ED), Panaji, has provisionally attached two immovable properties in Vasco worth Rs 1.05 crore under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. This action is linked to a fraud case involving the Sada Urban Co-operative Credit Society Ltd (SUCCSL) and its former branch manager.
The ED said it began an investigation based on an FIR and charge-sheet filed by Goa Police against Uma Nilesh Hondad alias Uma Raju Helawar alias Uma, the then branch manager of the Zuarinagar Branch of SUCCSL, and others for cheating, forgery and misappropriation of the society’s funds to the tune of Rs 1.28 crore.
The ED investigation found that Uma, along with others, misused her position to siphon off funds from the society. “The modus operandi involved opening fake loan accounts in the names of unknowing members, creating fake gold loan accounts without any pledged gold, misappropriating Fixed Deposits and forging signatures of senior officials to illegally withdraw funds from the society’s bank account,” it said.
The inquiry also found that the Proceeds of Crime (POC) were moved to her personal accounts and to the accounts of her family members and associates. These funds were used for personal expenses and to acquire or release assets.
The attached properties include a commercial shop named ‘Vasco Times’ and a residential house in Vasco-da-Gama. “These properties have been attached as they represent the value of the POC used for the benefit of the accused and their family members. The total POC quantified in the PMLA investigation so far is Rs 1.11 crore,” the ED said.
In a separate development, the ED raided several places in Goa and Pune, including the residence of former Socorro Sarpanch Sadeep Vazarkar, in connection with money laundering linked to land grab cases.
