The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has attached properties valued at around Rs 9.79 crore owned by former Madhya Pradesh health director Dr. Amarnath Mittal and his wife, Dr. Alka Mittal. This action was carried out under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) 2002, following an investigation into a case of disproportionate assets filed against them in 2012. The investigation was initiated based on an FIR registered by the Lokayukta department of Madhya Pradesh police under relevant sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
The properties attached by the ED include movable and immovable assets belonging to Dr. Mittal and his wife, such as residential and agricultural land in Bhopal and Raisen districts, along with long-term capital gains bonds. Currently, the department is continuing its probe into the matter, with more significant findings expected soon. The investigation revealed that Dr. Mittal’s legitimate income was Rs 60 lakh, while the assets acquired and expenses incurred amounted to about Rs 2.98 crore, indicating assets worth approximately Rs 2.38 crore were unlawfully obtained.
Dr. Mittal allegedly employed various strategies to conceal his disproportionate assets, including purchasing properties in different names to hide ownership and the illicit origin of funds. The ED discovered the use of layered financial transactions, unaccounted cash, and undisclosed deposits to legitimize the illegal funds. Despite an FIR being filed in 2012, Dr. Mittal reportedly reinvested proceeds from old properties into new ones, which the ED considers as “proceeds of crime.”
