The Enforcement Directorate attaches six properties linked to the late leader in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh
NEW DELHI — The Enforcement Directorate (ED) took strong action on Tuesday against properties linked to the late legislator Mukhtar Ansari in a money laundering case. The ED attached six properties worth ₹6.40 crore, including assets in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh.
These properties belong to Spectrum Infraservices, a company connected to the case of alleged illegal warehouses built on government land to earn income from crime.
The ED’s Allahabad sub-zone office launched the probe after a First Information Report (FIR) was filed at South Tola police station in Mau. The investigation found that a firm called Vikas Construction had built warehouses illegally on government land in Raini village, Mau. Another warehouse in Ghazipur was rented out to the Food Corporation of India (FCI).
The ED said, “The warehouses on government land were built illegally and rented to FCI, which falls under Proceeds of Crime (POC).” The rent earned from these warehouses totalled ₹15.31 crore.
Besides this, the ED found that the firm had illegally received ₹2.25 crore as a subsidy from NABARD and ₹3.10 crore from partners of Vikas Construction. Additionally, ₹7.05 crore was paid to Atif Raza as handling and transport charges from FCI. All these transactions add up to a total POC of ₹27.72 crore.
The ED’s investigation revealed that Vikas Construction was run under the influence of Mukhtar Ansari, who had close relatives and associates involved in the company. One such partner was Atif Raza, Ansari’s brother-in-law, holding a 15% stake.
According to police files, Mukhtar Ansari faced 49 criminal cases, including murder, extortion, and land grabbing.
The ED stated, “Around ₹8.49 crore of the POC from Vikas Construction was deposited into bank accounts of companies owned and controlled by Mukhtar Ansari and his relatives.”
These funds were moved through business accounts to hide their illegal origin. Later, the money was transferred as commercial transactions to bank accounts of companies owned by former MP Atul Rai.
Further, ₹1 crore from Vikas Construction and its associates was transferred into the accounts of Jitendra Sapra and his family. This money was used to buy immovable property, now attached by the ED.
So far, properties worth ₹6.40 crore have been seized in this case.
An ED official said, “This action shows that even after Mukhtar Ansari’s death, we will continue to follow the money trail and take strict action against illegal assets.”
