Hyderabad: ED seizes Rs 30 crore worth valuables from Mumbai Town Planning official YS Reddy for illegal construction on govt land

Hyderabad: Sleuths of the Enforcement Directorate, Mumbai, raided 13 locations, including Hyderabad and seized Rs 9.04 crore (approx.) in cash and Rs 23.25 crore worth of diamond-studded jewellery and bullion and a large number of incriminating documents.

During the search operation at the premises of Hyderabad-based officer YS Reddy, deputy director Town Planning, Mumbai, cash amounting to Rs 8.6 crore and diamond-studded jewellery and bullion worth Rs 23.25 crore were seized.

What is the case?

The ED initiated an investigation on the basis of multiple FIRs registered by the Mira Bhayandar Police Commissionerate against builders, local henchmen and others. The case pertains to ‘illegal construction of residential cum commercial buildings on government and private land’ under jurisdiction of Vasai Virar Municipal Corporation (VVMC) since 2009.

Over a period of time, 41 illegal buildings were constructed on the land reserved for a sewage treatment plant and a dumping ground as per the approved development plan of Vasai Virar City.

The accused builders and developers have deceived the public by constructing illegal buildings on such land and subsequently selling it to them by fabricating approval documents.

Even with prior knowledge that these buildings were unauthorised and would eventually be demolished, the developers misled the people by selling rooms in these buildings, thereby committing serious fraud.

What did the investigation reveal?

The ED investigation revealed that the large-scale illegal construction in the area has been going on since 2009.

“It has been found that the key perpetrators of the large-scale scam in the jurisdiction of Vasai Virar Municipal Corporation are Sitaram Gupta, Arun Gupta and others. Further, during the investigation, it has been found that these unauthorised/illegal buildings were constructed with the close connivance of various VVMC officials,” the ED statement said.

Further, various incriminating documents have been seized, which threw light on the massive scam of illegal construction at Vasai Virar area, in hand-in-glove with officials of VVMC.