RAJ KUMAR
Ranchi, April 27: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has provisionally attached assets worth Rs 1.28 Crore belonging to Upendra Nath Mandal and his wife Supriti Mandal in a case of criminal misconduct by a public servant.
The attached assets include immovable properties in the form of one Residential Duplex apartment in Kolkata and one car belonging to Supriti Mandal.
ED initiated a money-laundering investigation in the year 2021 based on an FIR dated 30.10.2017 registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation, Ranchi, against Upendra Nath Mandal and others.
As per the FIR, Upendra Nath Mandal misused his official position as Senior Manager, Metallurgical Wing, MECON LIMITED by entering into a criminal conspiracy with two firms, namely (i) M/s Zeal India Chemicals, Ranchi (Represented by its Partner Ajay Jalan) and (ii) M/s Shiv Machine Tools, Chennai (Represented by its Partner Hitesh V Shah).
Upendra Nath Mandal, while posted as Senior Manager, MECON Ltd worked in the Metallurgical process group wherein he evaluated the technical bids submitted by bidders in two tenders floated by Durgapur Steel Plant Project Medium Structure Mill Laboratory Facility and Bokaro Steel Plant Cold Rolling Mill.
The tenders were thereafter awarded to M/s Zeal India Chemicals and M/s Shiv Machine Tools respectively based on the appraisal report submitted by MECON Ltd. The tender was awarded to M/s Zeal India Chemicals despite it not being technically eligible. Subsequently, Upendra Nath Mandal received illegal gratification from these two firms in his own bank account and in the bank account of his relatives/ friends to the tune of Rs 1.65 Crore.
The investigation by ED revealed that Upendra Nath Mandal used the ill-gotten money to acquire a Residential Duplex Apartment in joint ownership with his wife Supriti Mandal and one Car in the name of Supriti Mandal. The Proceeds of Crime were placed, routed and layered through the bank accounts of relatives/ friends and finally integrated to acquire movable and immovable properties which were identified and attached vide Provisional Attachment Order dated 22.04.2022.
Further investigation to identify the remaining Proceeds of Crime is in progress.
