Preeti Chandra, Wife Of Unitech Ex-Owner, Arrested In Money Laundering Case

Preeti Chandra, wife of jailed Unitech promoter Sanjay Chandra, has been arrested in a money laundering case by the Enforcement Directorate. Sanjay Chandra's father, 80-year-old Ramesh Chandra, has been arrested in the case as well, sources said.  Rajesh Malik of Cornoustie Management, who acted as the legal heir of plots of Unitech Group and allegedly cheated people by selling them non-existent plots in Noida, has also been arrested, sources said.

Early this year, the agency filed a criminal case under various sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act against the Unitech Group and its promoters -- Sanjay Chandra and Ajay Chandra – over allegations that they illegally diverted over Rs 2,000 crore to Cyprus and the Cayman Islands.

"Total proceeds of crime in this case is Rs 5,063.05 crore as determined till now," the agency had said.  

In March, raids were conducted at 35 locations in in Mumbai and the National Capital Region belonging to the Unitech Group and several others -- Shivalik Group, Trikar Group, and Carnoustie Group.  

In July, the Enforcement Directorate attached a London hotel worth Rs 58.61 crore in connection with the money laundering probe. The hotel, named Bed and Breakfast, is owned by a company called Ibournshorne Limited, a UK-based associate firm of the Carnoustie group.

This was part of the Chandras' properties in India and abroad attached by the agency, the overall valuation of which is around Rs 600 crore.

Ramesh Chandra and his sons -- Sanjay and Ajay Chandra – are also accused of allegedly defrauding Canara Bank of Rs 198 crore.  

In a complaint filed in November last year, the bank had said Unitech - which had been a customer since 1971 and availed various credit facilities - had defaulted on multiple payments.

Two months ago, the Chandra brothers were shifted from Delhi's Tihar Jail to Mumbai's Arthur Road and Taloja Jail after the Enforcement Directorate told the Supreme Court that it found a "secret underground office" in South Delhi's Green Park, which they were using "while on parole or bail" to influence witnesses.

The Supreme Court, which had ordered the shift, said the agency in its report, mentioned their connivance with Tihar Jail staff in flouting orders, breaking jail rules and undermining the jurisdiction of the court.