ED attaches properties valued at Rs 1.15 crore in Zoom Developers money laundering case

Bhopal, Sep 20 (IANS) In a decisive move under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, the Bhopal Zonal Office of the Enforcement Directorate (ED), on Saturday, has provisionally attached three immovable properties worth Rs 1.15 crore in Maharashtra.

The action, carried out on September 19, 2025, is part of an ongoing investigation into financial irregularities involving M/s Zoom Developers Private Limited (ZDPL).

The probe was initiated based on FIRs and charge sheets filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)'s Bank Security and Fraud Cell in New Delhi, and the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) in Mumbai.

These documents revealed that ZDPL fraudulently obtained funds from Punjab National Bank (PNB) and other consortium banks.

According to the ED findings, the embezzled funds -- classified as proceeds of crime -- were routed through joint ventures such as Zoom Hindustan Peter Oates Joint Venture.

The money was ultimately diverted to entities including M/s Hindustan Mortar Lining Limited Liability Partnership and its associates, who used the funds to acquire immovable assets.

This latest attachment adds to a growing list of enforcement actions in the case.

The ED has previously issued five provisional attachment orders, seizing movable and immovable properties valued at Rs 131.34 crore.

Additionally, one prosecution complaint and two supplementary prosecution complaints have been filed, signalling the agency's commitment to pursuing legal accountability.

The attached properties are believed to be part of a complex laundering network designed to obscure the origins of the defrauded funds.

The ED officials emphasised that the investigation is still underway, with efforts focused on tracing additional assets and identifying all beneficiaries involved in the scheme.

This case underscores the scale and sophistication of financial frauds targeting India's banking system and highlights the role of joint ventures and shell entities in laundering illicit funds.

The ED's continued action reflects its resolve to dismantle such networks and recover public money.

Further developments are expected as the investigation progresses.

--IANS

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