VIBHA VERMA
PANJIM: Crime Branch (CB) sleuths have tightened the noose around the arrested JICA project director Anand Wachasundar as the investigation now extends to his alleged benami transactions.
In an interesting revelation, the plots in PDA colony on which a trust and his plush bungalow have been built, were purchased in the name of an employee of Swanand Consultants & Engineers Pvt Ltd. An agreement showed the company paid the loan and took possession of the plots.
Sources told Herald that Wachasundar transferred benami income towards the construction firm registered in the name of his son Sameer, and the Anagha Wachasudner Pratisthan, during his tenure as PWD principal chief engineer and JICA chief.
In a search operation, the CB team seized documents relating to the purchase of a plot. “In the said plot, Anagha Wachsundar Trust, three floor building exists. An agreement between the employee (name not disclosed) and the construction company has also come to the fore that shows the company has paid the loan to the employee and taken possession of the plot. The agreement has not been registered; this shows that the accused has transferred his benami income towards the two institutions. All this will be investigated,” an officer said.
CB strongly suspects that setting up the trust and Swanand Constructions is to divert hawala transacted money for illegal gratification taken by him.
While the documents are being verified, CB has revealed foreign currency notes and coins of six different countries in addition to Indian rupee notes were seized during the raid at his bungalow. A total of 1701 US dollar notes, 16,000 Japanese yen notes, 11,000 South Korean won notes, 12,000 Vietnamese dong notes, Singapore dollar notes, R M Malaysia in different denominations, foreign coins and Indian cash of Rs 1.85 lakh were recovered.
“Incriminating documents, bank documents, fixed deposits and other financial transactions, MoU of the Dharbandora property are also attached for investigation,” a source said.
