ED raids ex-BMC officer with illegal house in Dubai

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday carried out a search at the residence of a former chief engineer of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) in the city’s suburbs. According to ED officers, who remained tight-lipped on the former BMC officer’s identity, he had illegally acquired a property in Dubai for Rs 70 lakh, and was unable to account for the source of funds used to purchase the property.

The search was carried out under provisions of the Foreign Exchange Management Act 1999 (FEMA). According to the ED, during the search operation, incriminating documents pertaining to to illegal acquisition of the property in Dubai held by the former chief engineer was recovered.

When questioned about the property, the former BMC officer allegedly told ED that he had purchased the property at Park Island, Bonaire Marsa in Dubai, measuring 89 sq m, for Rs 70 lakh in 2012.

According to the ED, the property is held jointly in the name of the former chief engineer, his wife and son. However, no documents identifying the value of the

Dubai property could allegedly be furnished by the former civic officer. Nor could he explain the source of funds and mode of payment for purchase of the overseas property.

The ED has found, as per documents recovered during the search, that the property is currently given out on rent, which fetches an in annual income of AED 65,000, approximately Rs 13 lakh. ED has also alleged that approximately Rs. 40 lakh was also transferred by the former BMC officer to his married daughter, a US national, under the Liberalised Remittance Scheme.

ED officers said an investigation is underway to identify the source of funds.

According to the ED, the property is held jointly in the name of the former chief engineer, his wife and son. However, no documents identifying the value of the Dubai property could allegedly be furnished by the former civic officer.