ED takes over possession of ex-Haryana CM Chautala's assets

A team of Enforcement Directorate (ED) officers on Wednesday arrived in Haryana's Sirsa and Panchkula to take physical possession of the properties of former Haryana Chief Minister O.P. Chautala in connection with a disproportionate assets case.

A senior ED official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told IANS: "Our team had gone to Sirsa and Panchkula to take physical possession of the properties owned by Chautala and we also pasted the notice that we are taking over the possession of the said property."

He said that the ED has earlier attached properties to the tune of Rs 6 crore of the former Chief Minister.

According to the ED officials, the central probe agency had taken the CRPF troopers along with it to take possession of the farmhouse located in Teja Khera area of Sirsa.

The adjudicating authority has confirmed the attachment of the said property on September 25 this year. Chautala is currently serving a 10 year jail term in connection with the teachers recruitment scam case and is currently lodged in Delhi's Tihar jail.

The case was initiated by the ED on the basis of an FIR registered by the CBI against Chautala and others for the acquisition of assets disproportionate to their known source of income.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed charge sheet against OP Chautala, and his sons Abhay Chautala and Ajay Chautala under Prevention of Corruption Act. An investigation conducted by CBI had revealed that O.P. Chautala had acquired assets disproportionate to his known source of income to the tune of Rs 60,979,026 during the period from May 24, 1993, to May 31, 2006. An investigation also revealed that Abhay Chautala and Ajay Chautala had also acquired assets disproportionate to their known source of income to the tune of Rs 119.69 crore and Rs 27.74 crore, respectively.

During the course of the investigation, according to ED, it was revealed that the senior Chautala had acquired immovable properties at New Delhi, Panchkula and also constructed a residential house at Sirsa during the period with money received from undisclosed sources.IANS