Haryana: ED makes fresh arrest in ‘fraud’ case liked to NHAI, HSIIDC

New Delhi, Aug 23 (PTI) The Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday said it has made a fresh arrest as part of its ongoing money laundering investigation linked to alleged financial fraud with the NHAI and the Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (HSIIDC).

A man identified as Chandra Shekhar was taken into custody on August 21 and a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court sent him to ED custody for seven days after he was produced before it on Tuesday (August 22), the agency said in a statement.

The ED last month arrested Naresh Kumar Sheokhand, a former district revenue officer-cum-land acquisition collector of Panchkula, in this case. He is in judicial custody at present.

Chandra Shekhar, in connivance with Sheokhand and others, played an “active role” in “fraudulent” transfer of National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and HSIIDC funds meant for acquisition of lands, to ineligible people causing wrongful loss to the exchequer of about Rs 38 crore, the agency alleged.

These funds, it claimed, are “proceeds of crime” which were further routed to different bank accounts, later withdrawn “in cash” and invested in purchase of various properties.

It said Chandra Shekhar was “non-cooperative and resorted to withholding of relevant information and misleading the investigation” and hence was placed under arrest.

Assets worth Rs 2.56 crore have been attached in this case till now.

The money laundering investigation against the officer stems from a Haryana vigilance bureau as well as a CBI FIR that charged the accused with criminal conspiracy, cheating, forgery and criminal misconduct by public servant.