Vasai-Virar Illegal Construction Scam: ED Arrests High-Profile Officials

The Enforcement Directorate has arrested four individuals, including top civic officials and builders, in an illegal construction and money laundering case tied to the Vasai Virar Municipal Corporation. Investigations point to an organized bribe-taking cartel. The accused face a special PMLA court hearing.

In a significant crackdown, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has apprehended four individuals, among them prominent civic officials and builders, for their alleged roles in an illegal construction case linked to the Vasai Virar Municipal Corporation (VVCMC).

The arrested include Anil Powar, a former IAS officer and Municipal Commissioner of VVCMC, alongside builder and corporator Sitaram Gupta, builder Arun Gupta, and YS Reddy, the suspended Deputy Town Planner of VVCMC. These arrests occurred on August 13 under Section 19 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

According to ED officials, probes unveiled that certain builders constructed illegal structures that were later sold to unassuming buyers. Following a Supreme Court directive, these structures were demolished, displacing many homebuyers. The ED's investigation also led to seizures of large sums of cash, jewelry, and crucial electronic evidence from various locations, while WhatsApp exchanges suggest an organized bribery cartel.

The accused are to be presented before a special PMLA court in Mumbai, where the ED will request their custody to further the investigation. This case unveils a web of corruption involving substantial financial transactions in real estate, with the potential for significant implications in the civic sector.

(With inputs from agencies.)