PMLA court sends ex-Jharkhand Minister Ekka to seven-year jail

New Delhi: A Special PMLA court in Ranchi on Thursday convicted former Jharkhand minister Anosh Ekka in a money laundering case and sentenced him to seven years of jail with a fine of Rs 2 crore.

An ED official in Delhi said, "The agency got a sentence of conviction of Ekka under the provisions of Prevention of Money Laundering Act,2002 (PMLA)." He said the Special Judge (PMLA), Ranchi pronounced the pending judgement on the quantum of punishment to the accused through video conference.

According to ED official, Ekka has been sentenced to undergo rigorous imprisonment for seven years and pay a fine of Rs 2 crore. The court also ordered to confiscate properties totalling to Rs 22.38 crore of Ekka.

The ED had earlier attached movable and immovable assets consisting of residential properties, lands, fixed deposits, balances in bank accounts, National Savings Certificates, Kisan Vikas Patras, vehicles, rifles and pistols. The official said that these confiscated assets were held in the name of the Ekka, his family members and companies owned by him and his family.

The PMLA court in Ranchi on Tuesday has convicted Ekka for being guilty of offences of money laundering to the tune of Rs 20.31 crore. Ekka was a former minister of Rural Development, NREP, Transport, Panchayat Raj and Building Construction in the cabinet of former Chief Minister Madhu Koda from March 12, 2005, December 19, 2008.

The ED had registered a case of money laundering on the basis of an FIR registered by the Vigilance Bureau of the state government for misusing his official position and power being a public servant and acquired huge movable and Aimmovable properties.

On the direction of the Jharkhand High Court, the CBI also took up the investigation from the Vigilance Bureau.