Maharashtra Minister Summoned By Probe Agency In Alleged Money Laundering Case

The Enforcement Directorate has summoned Maharashtra Transport Minister Anil Parab for questioning in Mumbai on Wednesday in a money-laundering probe linked to the alleged violation of coastal regulation zone provisions in the construction of a resort in Dapoli beach area of Ratnagiri district, officials said on Tuesday.

The probe agency wants to question and record Mr Parab's statement under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), they said.  He has been asked to depose before the probe agency at its zonal office in Mumbai.

The Enforcement Directorate, or ED, had raided his premises and of those allegedly linked to him in May in connection with the case. This came after the ED filed a fresh case under the PMLA against him and others.

Mr Parab, 57, is a three-time Shiv Sena legislator in the Maharashtra Legislative Council and is also the Parliamentary Affairs Minister.

His role is already being probed by the ED in another money laundering case filed against Maharashtra former Home Minister and Nationalist Congress Party, or NCP, leader Anil Deshmukh.

After the raids on May 26, the ED had questioned Mr Parab and recorded his statement as part of the case filed after taking cognisance of a recent Environment Ministry notice that termed the Dapoli resort "illegal" and in alleged violation of Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) norms.

Dapoli, about 230 km from Mumbai, is a scenic coastal hill station. Because of its round-the-year cool weather, it has earned the moniker Maharashtra's "mini Mahabaleshwar".

Many real estate projects, comprising villas, row houses and flats are coming up in the area.
Mr Parab also faces other charges of alleged irregularities and corruption.

The first set of charges are linked to allegations of purchasing a parcel of land in Dapoli in 2017 for Rs 1 crore and it was registered in 2019. It is alleged that the land was subsequently sold to a Mumbai-based cable operator, Sadanand Kadam, in 2020 for Rs 1.10 crore. In between, a resort was built on the land from 2017 to 2020.

The Income Tax Department made these allegations after it conducted raids in March against some people allegedly close to Mr Parab.