The agency has so far attached immovable properties worth Rs. 16.29 Crore belonging to KRBL Ltd

NEW DELHI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday filed a charge sheet against M/s Embraer SA, Brazil, M/s Interdev Aviation Services Pte. Ltd., Anoop Kumar Gupta (Director of KRBL Limited), KRBL Limited, Anurag Potdar (Nephew of Anoop Kumar Gupta) & others in a case of Embraer SA defence deal.

ED is investigating charges of money laundering in the deal. The federal agency had initiated a probe after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had registered an FIR on the basis of a reference received from Chief Controller, R&D (R&M) & DS, Defence Research & Development Organization (DRDO), Department of Defence Research & Development, Ministry of Defence. The allegations are that M/s Embraer was being investigated by authorities of US and Brazil for alleged employment of an agent in facilitating the contract for AEW&C Project with CABS/DRDO for procurement of three fully modified EMB-145 aircraft.

ED has claimed that its probe has revealed that M/s Embraer SA Brazil obtained the contract for supply of aircrafts to Indian Air Force for $ 210 million and paid commission of $ 5.76 million to a middleman named Vipin Khanna for influencing the said contract in its favour.

The said kickbacks of USD 5.76 Million were allegedly routed by M/s Embraer SA, Brazil through its subsidiaries to M/s Interdev Aviation Services Pte Ltd, Singapore in lieu of sham agreement.

It is further alleged that kickbacks to the tune of around USD 3.275 million were further routed from M/s Interdev Aviation Services Pte. Ltd. to M/s KRBL DMCC, Dubai (a 100% owned subsidiary of KRBL Ltd.) in lieu of sham agreement to finally reach India through M/s KRBL Ltd. projecting the same as untainted money.

ED has further claimed that Anoop Kumar Gupta, Director of KRBL Limited signed the sham agreement held between Interdev Aviation Services Pte. Ltd. and KRBL DMCC to receive Proceeds of Crime (PoC) which were finally received in the bank A/c of KRBL Ltd in which he is one of the Director.

The agency has so far attached immovable properties worth Rs. 16.29 Crore belonging to KRBL Ltd.

The provisional attachment order has been confirmed by agency’s Adjudicating Authority under PMLA. Possession of the confirmed attached properties have also been taken by ED.

The agency has now moved a local Court seeking to confiscate the attached assets to the tune of Rs 16.29 crores.