Enforcement Directorate Freezes Assets in Corruption Probe

The Enforcement Directorate has frozen Rs 30 lakh and seized Rs 12 lakh in cash linked to Saurabh Sharma, a retired constable, amid a money laundering investigation. The probe stems from a FIR by Lokayukta against Sharma for amassing disproportionate assets.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has taken significant action in a corruption investigation by freezing Rs 30 lakh in bank accounts associated with Saurabh Sharma, a retired constable from the Madhya Pradesh Transport Department, and others. This development was announced by the agency on Monday.

Alongside the frozen assets, officials also seized Rs 12 lakh in unaccounted cash, 9.9 kilograms of silver valued at Rs 9.17 lakh, digital devices, and property documents. These enforcement measures followed searches by ED's Bhopal division on January 17 under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, carried out across various locations in Bhopal, Gwalior, and Pune.

The investigation initiated by ED is based on a First Information Report (FIR) lodged by the Lokayukta Special Police Establishment in Bhopal. The FIR accuses Sharma of accumulating disproportionate wealth worth crores through his family and associated business entities, as alleged in the report under the Prevention of Corruption Act amended in 2018.

(With inputs from agencies.)