In a significant development, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has taken decisive action in the case of the Dhar Land Scam in Madhya Pradesh. On January 29, 2024, movable and immovable properties amounting to Rs. 8,53,50,392 were provisionally attached under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002. The present market value of these properties is estimated to be more than Rs. 151 Crore.
This attachment includes a land parcel belonging to the Madhya Pradesh Government, which was illegally occupied, and the proceeds of crime generated by Sudhir Ratnakar Peter Das and others through the further sale of parts of the government land. The attached properties consist of 56 immovable properties and 02 movable properties in the form of fixed deposits. Notably, these assets are registered under various names, including that of the alleged mastermind, Sudhir Ratnakar Peter Das.
The Enforcement Directorate initiated its investigation based on the FIR registered and the Chargesheet filed by the Madhya Pradesh Police, encompassing offenses under various sections of the IPC, 1860. The origins of the subject land trace back to 1927 when it was given by the then Maharaja of Dhar, Anand Rao Pawar, for establishing a Women’s Hospital and residential facility for doctors under the Canadian Presbyterian Mission.
However, after Dr. (Miss) Margerate O’ Hora, to whom the land was granted, left for Canada in 1927, the land was recorded as government property. Subsequently, a nefarious conspiracy led by Sudhir Ratnakar Peter Das, involving collusion with various individuals and religious institutions, unfolded. This elaborate scheme included collusive proceedings before revenue and judicial authorities, obliteration of records, and manipulation of documents, both with private individuals and public officials involved.
The ED’s investigation unveiled that the 3.567-hectare government land in Dhar district, Madhya Pradesh, was unlawfully divided into plots by Sudhir Das and others. These plots were then fraudulently sold to different individuals through the creation of forged documents, demonstrating a clear intention to deceive and gain illicit profits.
The provisional attachment of properties by the ED marks a crucial step towards unraveling the complexities of the Dhar Land Scam, shedding light on the pervasive nature of the conspiracy and the intricate network of individuals and institutions involved in the fraudulent transactions.
