On Tuesday, October 10, the Enforcement Directorate assumed control of 15 distinct immovable assets belonging to the former Union Minister A Raja.
The ED disclosed the confiscation of these 15 properties, which were indirectly held by the former Union Cabinet Minister of Environment and Forest. It was revealed that Raja is the proprietor of these assets through his Benami company, M/s Kovai Shelters Promoters India Pvt Ltd. The ED took charge of Raja’s benami holdings under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) of 2002, in connection with a case involving disproportionate assets.
News Agency ANI reported, “ED has taken possession of 15 immovable properties owned by A. Raja, former Union Cabinet Minister of Environment and Forest in the name of his Benami Company M/s Kovai Shelters Promoters India Pvt Ltd, under the provisions of PMLA, 2002 in the matter of disproportionate assets case of A. Raja, subsequent to confirmation of the Provisional Attachment order.”
In December, last year, the Enforcement Directorate had provisionally seized 45 acres of land in Coimbatore linked to A Raja’s company under the provisions of the PMLA. This land, valued at approximately Rs 55 crores, was allegedly acquired using illicit funds from a major real estate company based in Gurugram. It was purportedly exchanged for environmental clearance during Raja’s tenure as the Minister for Environment and Forest in the UPA government back in 2007.
This particular parcel of land was also officially registered under the name of the aforementioned Kovai Shelters Promoters India Pvt Ltd.
According to the ED, this benami company was established in the same year and was registered in the names of Raja’s family members. However, the agency asserted that its primary function was to conceal the proceeds of A Raja’s alleged criminal activities.
More recently, the DMK MP and former Union minister garnered attention for making statements perceived as derogatory towards the Hindu faith. A Raja had remarked, “Udhayanidhi only compared Sanatan Dharma to diseases like Malaria and dengue as he had a soft approach. ‘Sanatan Dharma should be compared to diseases with social stigma like HIV and leprosy,’ ” he had stated.
