The Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday, January 4, said it has attached assets worth over Rs 10 crore in connection with the money laundering investigation against the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray faction) leader and former Maharashtra minister, Anil Parab, and others. The probe pertains to the the Dapoli resort, which is allegedly illegal; and Parab was allegedly embroiled in corruption in the run-up to the resort’s construction.

According to the ANI News Agency, the ED has initiated an investigation in accordance with the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) on the basis of a complaint filed by the Ministry of Environmental Forest and Climate Change against Anil Dattatray Parab.

The investigation revealed that Anil Parab, in connivance with his close aide, Sadanand Kadam, got an illegal permission from local SDO office for conversion of use of land from agricultural to non-agricultural purpose, and constructed the resort in violation of CRZ norms.

Fifty eight-year-old Parab is a Shiv Sena leader from the Uddhav Thackeray faction of the party. An advocate by profession, Parab is a three-time Shiv Sena legislator in the Maharashtra Legislative Council, the upper house of the legislature, and has held transport and parliamentary affairs portfolios in the state.

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He was inducted into the state Cabinet by then chief minister and Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray in December 2019. In June 2021, BJP leader Kirit Somaiya had lodged a complaint against Parab accusing him of illegally constructing the Dapoli resort in Ratnagiri district.

Earlier, this year, the agency conducted raids at seven location linked to Parab, including Mumbai, Dapoli, Pune and Ratnagiri. A case of cheating was registered against Parab in Dapoli Police Station in Ratnagiri district under sections 420 and 34 of Indian Penal code (IPC). In November, ED summoned Parab’s close aide Sadanand Kadam in connection with the case.

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(Edited by : Shoma Bhattacharjee)