New Delhi, May 11 : The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday said it has attached immovable properties worth Rs 5.37 crore comprising agricultural land and buildings belonging to ‘Hemkunt Foundation’ located in Madhya Pradesh’s Khandwa district, in connection with a money laundering case.
An ED official said it initiated proceedings under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) against Hemkunt Foundation on the basis of an FIR registered by the Special Cell of Delhi Police.
The Delhi Police claimed that Hemkunt Foundation raised crores of rupees from individuals and corporates in the name of Covid relief and oxygen supply during the peak of the second wave of Covid-19. However, according to Delhi Police, the money received as donation was siphoned off, and utilised for activities for personal gains.
Investigation conducted by the ED under the provisions of the PMLA revealed that Hemkunt Foundation collected a huge donation to the tune of Rs 77.10 crore.
“Hemkunt Foundation diverted most of the funds thus collected towards the assets of the foundation, such as kept in FDs (Rs 17.32 crore), purchasing land in Gurugram (Rs 43 crore) and spending on land purchase and construction activities in Madhya Pradesh (Rs 5.37 crore).
“The ED had earlier attached the said land worth Rs 43 crore and had frozen the fixed deposits of Rs 17.32 crore during the course of the investigation,” an official said.
The official said that the total attachment value has reached Rs 65.69 crore, so far.
