ED files charge sheet against govt official, wife in disproportionate assets case

New Delhi, Oct 5 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) said on Thursday that it has filed a charge sheet against Maheswar Pradhan and his wife in a disproportionate assets (DA) case, alleging that he being a government servant took undue advantage of his official position and acquired various movable and immovable assets and properties disproportionate to his known source of income in his own name and in the name of his family members.

The ED filed the charge sheet against Pradhan and his wife Namita Pradhan before a special court in Bhubaneswar under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002.

The ED said that the court took cognisance of the same on September 28.

The ED initiated the probe on the basis of an FIR registered by the Vigilance police station in Bhubaneswar under the Prevention of Corruption Act for alleged possession of disproportionate assets to the tune of Rs 2.04 crore by Maheswar and his family members, while he was working in the official capacity of Divisional Manager, OFDC Ltd, Angul, Odisha.

"The ED probe has found that Maheswar being a government servant took undue advantage of his official position and thereby generated proceeds of crime and acquired various movable and immovable assets and properties disproportionate to his known source of income in own name and in name of his family members," the ED alleged.

His wife Namita was found to be involved in assisting her husband Maheswar Pradhan in acquisition, possession, layering and integration of such disproportionate assets earned illegally. 

Earlier in March 2022, the ED had attached movable and immovable properties worth Rs. 2.04 crore held in the name of the duo in form of plot of land, building, FDs or available bank balances etc. in Bhubaneshwar and Angul.

Source: IANS