ED attaches Rs 79.93 crore belonging to Malbros firm in money laundering probe linked to environmental crime

New Delhi [India], December 15 : The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday said it has attached immovable properties in the form of land, building, plant and machinery worth Rs 79.93 crore belonging to Malbros International Pvt Ltd in a money laundering investigation related to environmental crime.
https://x.com/dir_ed/status/2000493667661103338?s=20
ED's Jalandhar zonal office attached the properties on December 13 under the provisions of Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.
The ED initiated investigation on the basis of criminal complaint filed by Punjab Pollution Control Board against Malbros International Pvt Ltd for violating the provisions of Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 by injection of untreated wastewater through reverse boring into deep aquifers.
ED said its investigation revealed that Malbros International Pvt Ltd with its industrial unit at Mansoorwal village in Ferozepur district was involved in "generation and acquisition of proceeds of crime by deliberately causing pollution of ground water by persistently and covertly injecting untreated effluents into deep aquifers through reverse boring, and repeatedly discharging wastewater onto land, drains, and an adjacent sugar mill."
"Its daily functioning involved persistent illegal discharge of untreated effluents into land and groundwater, causing large-scale irreparable ecological damage in form of water pollution and consequent health hazards causing crop loss, cattle deaths and serious health impacts for residents of villages around its premises," said the ED in a statement.
Earlier, searches were conducted at six locations on July 16, 2024 and an amount of Rs 78.15 lakh cash was seized from the premises of Malbros International Pvt Ltd and its directors under the provisions of Section 17 PMLA, 2002.