Kerala: ED attaches assets worth Rs 1.56 crore in money laundering case

Thiruvananthapuram: The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) attached assets worth Rs 1.56 crore, including land and residential flats belonging to Samson and Sons Builders and Developers and related persons, officials confirmed on Friday.
According to ED, 12 parcels of land, and one residential flat at Pattom and Karakulam in the Thiruvananthapuram district of Kerala were attached for alleged money laundering on Tuesday.
Samuel Jacob and Dhanya Mary Varghese, the directors of the Samson and sons, were being investigated under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) for allegedly cheating and misappropriation of funds, a statement by ED said.
"ED initiated an investigation on the basis of FIRs registered by Peroorkada Police Station alleging that the accused company and its Directors collected substantial amounts from multiple homebuyers with false promises of delivering flats, which were never handed over," read the ED's statement.
The statement said that the funds were then received into the bank accounts of Samson and Sons and its directors to then acquire immovable property on their own.
"Some of these properties were transferred and parked with third parties to conceal them from the investigation agencies," the statement read.
"A total of 13 properties including 12 parcels of land as well as one residential flat belonging to the accused located at Pattom and Karakulam, Trivandrum have been provisionally attached by ED as part of the investigation. The total value of the properties attached amounts to Rs. 1.56 Crore (approx)," read the statement.
Further investigation into the case is underway.