Hyderabad: The Enforcement Directorate (ED), Hyderabad, has provisionally attached 19 immovable properties valued at 5.1 crore under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in connection with an investigation into disproportionate assets acquired by Dacha Janardhan Mahesh, town planning section officer, GHMC, Secunderabad. The attached assets include plots of land, shops, flats, and residential premises owned by Mahesh and his family members.The ED launched the probe following an FIR registered in 2016 under the Prevention of Corruption Act by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), Hyderabad, against Mahesh. The ACB filed a chargesheet before the First Additional Special Judge for SPE and ACB cases at Hyderabad in June 2022, which stated that Mahesh possessed assets worth 5.2 crore disproportionate to his and his family’s known sources of income.
The ED investigation also revealed that Mahesh acquired numerous immovable properties in his own name and in the names of relatives using proceeds of crime, and by paying the sale consideration largely in cash. Investigators found that substantial cash deposits were made into Mahesh’s and his family members’ bank accounts to create the appearance of legitimate funds. These funds were subsequently used to purchase properties and cover personal expenses.Further investigation indicated that the proceeds of crime were also utilised for the development and construction of a project named “Shree Indira Sadan”, with the assistance of Mahesh’s cousin, KB Laxminarayana, a partner of Maheshwari Constructions.
