ED attaches assets worth Rs 17.55 crore

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has attached movable properties worth Rs17.55 crore of RK Associates and Hoteliers Pvt Ltd, Satyam Caterers Pvt Ltd and five others in Rail Neer scam, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.

The ED began the investigation under PMLA 2002, based on the FIR registered by Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) against railway officials and private caterers/licensees for allegedly supplying packaged drinking water of other brands, instead of the IRCTC’s ‘Rail Neer’ brand on Rajdhani and Shatabdi trains and thereby causing wrongful losses to the government exchequer.

“The investigation conducted by CBI revealed that private caterers, namely RK Associates and Hoteliers Pvt Ltd, Brandavan Foods Products Ltd, Sunshine Caterers, Satyam Caterers Pvt Ltd, Food World, RD Sharma, PK Delicacies, Doon Caterers, Ambuj Hotels and Real Estate servicing Rajdhani and Shatabdi trains were mandated to supply the bottles of Rail Neer (produced by IRCTC, a Rail PSU) to all the passengers but they supplied other brands of packaged drinking water in connivance with the officers of the railway department and caused a loss of Rs 19.55 crore to the government exchequer during the period January 1, 2013 to December 31, 2014,” an ED official said.

“During PMLA investigation, it is established that above licensees laundered the amount received from railway department in lieu of supply of the packaged drinking water of other brands, which was proceeds of crime. During the PMLA investigation, the movable properties of the seven licensees, namely RK Associates and Hoteliers Pvt Ltd, Brandavan Foods Products Ltd, Satyam Caterers Pvt Ltd, Food World, RD Sharma, PK Delicacies and Doon Caterers were identified in their bank accounts/fixed deposit and have been attached under the provisions of Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, totalling Rs 17.55 crore,” the official added. Further investigation is under way.