ED initiated investigation on the basis of two FIRs registered by Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC), Vellore, Tamil Nadu, against M. Pannirselvam for corruption and acquiring assets to the tune of ? 7.54 Crore through ill gotten money which is disproportionate to his known sources of income
FinTech BizNews Service
Mumbai, January 3, 2024: Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has provisionally attached 6 immovable properties worth Rs. 1.12 Crore, unexplained and unaccounted cash of Rs. 3.59 Crore (approx.), 61 gold coins, gold ornaments & silver articles weighing around 3625.80 grams & 6492 grams respectively recovered from the premises of M. Pannirselvam, former Joint Chief Environmental Engineer (JCEE), Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board, Tamil Nadu, in connection with corruption and disproportionate Assets (DA) case.
ED initiated investigation on the basis of two FIRs registered by Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC), Vellore, Tamil Nadu, against M. Pannirselvam for corruption and acquiring assets to the tune of ? 7.54 Crore through ill gotten money which is disproportionate to his known sources of income.
ED investigation revealed that during the proceedings before DVAC, M Pannirselvam fraudulently tried to show the ownership of liquid cash (Rs. 3,58,93,000/-) found with him as pertaining to his brother-in-law and his late parents. However, the evidence collected by ED proved that his brother-in-law and late parents have no connection with such cash seized by DVAC. Further, ED investigation also revealed that M Pannirselvam has made huge cash deposits of around ? 1.5 Crore in his and his family members’ bank accounts, for which no satisfactory explanation could be provided either by the public servant or by his family members. Also, it was revealed that M Pannirselvam has incurred large unexplained expenditure, e.g. on studies/ marriage of his son, for which the sources are not substantiated by him. Furthermore, M Pannirselvam has failed to prove the genuineness of sources for acquisition of immovable properties purchased in the names of his family members. Therefore, such unexplained assets found in possession of M Pannirselvam/ his wife/ son are treated to be out of his ill-gotten income while performing his official duties as a public servant, and the same being proceeds of crime, are attached by ED on 28.12.2023.
Further investigation is under progress.
