ED seizes Rs 5-crore worth cash, jewellery after fresh searches against ABG Shipyard

ED seizes Rs 5-crore worth cash, jewellery after fresh searches against ABG Shipyard

The Enforcement Directorate on November 29 said it has seized cash and jewellery worth about Rs 5 crore after fresh searches against ABG Shipyard and others as part of a money laundering probe linked to an alleged bank loan fraud.

The searches were undertaken on November 24 at seven locations in Mumbai, Pune and Delhi.

The central agency undertook searches in this case first time in April, 2022.

"The searches were conducted at the residences of the persons, family members related to ABG Shipyard Ltd and its related group companies which resulted in the recovery and seizure of unaccounted cash, bullion and jewellery to the tune of Rs 5 crore," the ED said in a statement.

The money laundering case stems from the FIR filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) against the company for causing loss to the tune of Rs 22,842 crore to a consortium of banks led by ICICI Bank.  ABG Shipyard and its group companies availed various credit/loan facilities from the consortium of banks for the purpose of working capital requirement and capital expenditure and some other purposes, it said.

However, ABG Shipyard and its group companies "utilised huge funds for purposes other than its stated use and diverted the same through various group companies incorporated in India and abroad," the ED alleged.

The agency has attached assets worth a total Rs 2,747.69 crore in this case till now and has earlier filed a charge sheet.

ABG Shipyard has been a major player in Indian ship building industry operated from its shipyards located at Dahej and Surat in Gujarat with capacity to build vessels up to 18,000 dead weight tonnage at Surat shipyard and 1,20,000 dead weight tonnage at Dahej shipyard. PTI NES KVK KVK