New Delhi Oct 7 (UNI) Officials from the Bhopal zone of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) stated today that they recently concluded search operations at seven locations across the Bhopal, Vidisha, Katni, and Chhatarpur districts of Madhya Pradesh.
The searches are linked to a case involving Shobhit Tripathi, the then Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Janpad Panchayat Sironj and others.
The operation led to the seizure of various incriminating documents, including property papers and digital devices. The ED also froze bank accounts and mutual funds worth Rs 21.7 lakh belonging to Shobhit Tripathi and other individuals involved.
The ED initiated its investigation under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) based on an FIR registered by the Economic Offence Wing in Bhopal. The FIR was filed under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Prevention of Corruption Act against Tripathi and his associates.
According to the investigation, Shobhit Tripathi, in collusion with others, siphoned Rs 30.18 crore by creating 5,923 suspicious entries under the state government’s Marriage Assistance Scheme between 2019 and November 2021.
The ED’s probe revealed that Tripathi, along with data entry operators Yogendra Sharma and Hemant Sahu, misused his official position to divert funds allocated for the benefit of construction workers’ families.
The accused forged documents and uploaded fraudulent information onto a government portal. This allowed them to illegally transfer money from the government treasury to the bank accounts of ineligible applicants.
The funds were subsequently withdrawn in multiple tranches via ATMs. The cash was then deposited into the bank accounts of Shobhit Tripathi, his family members, and other related individuals and entities.
The investigation further uncovered that Tripathi used the bank accounts of his relatives and their business concerns to layer the Proceeds of Crime and project them as untainted.
This laundered money was then used for various payments, investments in the stock market and mutual funds, and for acquiring immovable properties.
Further investigation is underway.
