Rajasthan: ED attaches assets of nursing teacher worth over 372% of his income

The Enforcement Directorate has attached properties worth Rs 7.85 crore of a nursing tutor of Rajasthan Health Department in connection with a corruption case, officials said. The movable and immovable properties have been attached under Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) belonging to accused Mahesh Chand Sharma and his family members which includes agricultural land in Jaipur, Tonk, Karauli and 31 plots & houses in Jaipur.

The financial probe agency had initiated an investigation on the basis of FIR and chargesheets filed by Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB), Jaipur against Mahesh Chand Sharma.

Mahesh Chand Sharma had worked in Health and Medical Department of Rajasthan Government as Nursing Tutor (Nursing Grade- 2), College of Nursing, SMS Medical College and also as Member, Indian Nursing Council (INC), New Delhi.

Sharma along with his associate was caught by the ACB for taking bribe of Rs 5 lakh from a nursing institute for including its name on the website of Indian Nursing Council. Later, ACB investigation established that the accused had amassed illicit earning amounting to Rs 10.6 crores which was 372% more than his legal source of income.

“Our investigation revealed that Mahesh Chand Sharma has accumulated huge money by resorting to corrupt practice and misusing his official position and it was used for purchase of agricultural land, residential flats and plots on his name. He also acquired properties on the name of his wife and son. To avoid detection, Sharma used shell companies and trusts like Safe Infracon Private Limited, Saket Nursing College RAG Trust for layering and integrating the illicit money in the formal financial system in order to project it as untainted,” said an ED officer.

The agency was able to identify two transactions to the tune of Rs 4 crore for acquiring the properties. “In one transaction, proceeds of crime to the tune of Rs. 2.25 crore was paid to buy land with a house and three shops situated at Mansarovar, Jaipur with total land area of 114.42 square metre and covered area of 3693.98 square feet. In the second transaction, proceeds of crime worth Rs 1.75 crore were paid to buy 22 plots in a residential society at Jaipur having an area of 233.33 square metre each, totalling to 5133.26 square metre,” said the ED.

These assets were not included in the chargesheets filed by ACB for calculation of disproportionate assets.

ED claims that the total illegal earnings of Mahesh Chand Sharma is over Rs 14.6 crore out of which of properties worth Rs 12.60 crore have been attached.