ED raids BMC ex-chief engineer in Mumbai; Dubai property papers recovered

The ED on Friday said it has searched the premises of a former Mumbai-based chief engineer of the BMC and recovered documents related to purchase of a property in Dubai in an alleged illegal manner. The central probe agency did not identify the officer.

The raid was conducted on "specific and reliable information" under the provision of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) at the residential premises of an ex-chief engineer of the cash-rich Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), a statement from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) said. It said that during the raid "incriminating" documents linked to "illegal acquisition" of a property held in Dubai has been recovered.

"It has been stated by the former chief engineer of BMC that he purchased the property in Dubai, located at Park Island, Bonaire Marsa, Dubai (measuring 89 sq mt), for Rs 70 lakh in 2012." "The property is held jointly in the name of the person, his spouse and son," it added.

However, the ED alleged, that no such documents identifying the value of the property purchased in Dubai could be furnished by the officer. "He was not able to explain the source of funds and also the mode of payment for purchase of the property," the agency said.

As per the documents recovered during the search, the said property is on rent and fetching an income of AED 65,000 (about Rs 13 lakh) yearly to the officer, the ED said. The agency said it has also got evidences that an amount of Rs 40 lakh was transferred by the officer to his married daughter (a US national) under the Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS).

"Investigation to identify his source of fund is being conducted," it said.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)