The Enforcement Directorate on Friday launched simultaneous searches on the premises of three promoters of prominent real estate firms in Chennai in connection with an alleged money laundering offence, sources in the agency said.
The case arises out of a FIR registered by the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption on January 31, 2024, against T. Udayakumar, managing director, M/s Landmark Housing Projects Limited, Sunil Khetpalia and Maneesh Parmar, both directors of M/s. KLP Projects Private Limited, unknown officials and MPs, MLAs etc.
The DVAC case relies on the statement of Mr. Udayakumar before the Income Tax authorities wherein he revealed that cash payments to the tune of Rs. 50 crore was paid to various persons, including MPs, MLAs Corporation Councillors officials of some Government departments and others to get their help during execution of his proposed construction of multi-storied apartments at Binny Mill Campus on the Perambur Barracks Road in Chennai during 2015-17.
After perusing the documents received from the Income Tax department in its preliminary enquiry, the DVAC registered a corruption case against the realtors, MPs, MLAs, officials and others and even listed the cash payments made to various persons.
Mr. Udayakumar had stated that he and two other realtors had purchased 14.16 acres of land, including old houses, located at Perambur Barracks Road from Binny Mills. There were encroachments and squatters on the property and the road adjacent to it was narrow due to which there were problems in getting CMDA’s approval for construction of multi-storied apartments. Hence, he had to incur unaccounted expenses and payments by way of bribes to various persons. The money (Rs. 50,00,86,125) was arranged by Sunil Khetpalia and Maneesh Parmar and paid in cash.
The DVAC, which even named some MPs/MLAs and took the name of the CMDA, Sales Tax, Road Work departments etc, said that in view of the facts and also based on the oral and documentary evidence, there were grounds to believe that the accused Udayakumar, Sunil Khetpalia and Maneesh Parmar had entered into a criminal conspiracy to bribe the unknown officials of various departments and public representatives to get their help during construction of multi-storied apartments at Binny Mills Campus. In pursuance of the said conspiracy an amount of Rs.50 crore was paid as bribe and hence a case under different provisions of the IPC and Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, was registered.
