The Enforcement Directorate (ED), Bhopal Zonal Office, has provisionally attached movable and immovable properties valued at approximately Rs 83.24 lakh under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. This action is related to a case of disproportionate assets against Prabhakar Shukla, Assistant Manager at South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL), Korba, Chhattisgarh. The investigation stemmed from an FIR filed by the CBI’s Anti-Corruption Branch in Jabalpur under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.
According to the ED, Shukla accumulated assets worth Rs 83.24 lakh between March 1, 2008, and November 30, 2022, which is nearly 40% of his known income sources. The funds from the crime were funneled through cash deposits into various bank accounts held by Shukla and his family members, including his wife and daughters. These illicit funds were then channeled into fixed deposits, insurance policies, investments, and land purchases.
The ED’s attachment order encompasses both movable and immovable properties associated with Shukla, effectively freezing them pending further legal proceedings. Officials highlighted that these assets are the proceeds of crime derived from the abuse of public office. This case sheds light on the heightened scrutiny of corruption within public sector entities, particularly in coalfields where corruption allegations have been recurrent.
Further investigations are ongoing to trace additional assets and financial transactions linked to Shukla and his associates. The ED has hinted at potential further revelations as the investigation progresses.
