In its probe against TMC, the ED found the party transferred Rs 160 crore to an aviation firm to buy an aircraft and a helicopter. The agency alleges the deal was dubious and meant to camouflage the purpose of the transactions.
In a major revelation in its ongoing “dishonest financial dealings” case against Trinamool Congress, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has found that the party transferred Rs 160 crore from its accounts to Carewell Aviation India Pvt Ltd and its related entity between 2023 and 2026, and a significant part of the money was used for purchasing an Aircraft Embrarer Legacy 600 and one Augusta helicopter.
ED’s Probe and Initial Findings
The revelation comes after the central agency carried out searches at five premises belonging to one Carewell group of companies operating in the aviation sector in the matter of alleged dishonest financial dealings, unlawful collection of money and routing of suspected funds through certain bank accounts of All India Trinamool Congress (AITC).
The search operation is still on from early Tuesday, covering the premises based in West Bengal’s capital, Kolkata and its nearby areas Officials, privy to the matter, told ANI that “around Rs 160 crores was transferred from TMC accounts to Carewell Aviation India Pvt Ltd and its related entity, tentatively between April 2023 and June 2026.”
Aircraft and Helicopter Purchase
The investigation, officials said, also reveals that Carewell Aviation Pvt Ltd further routed an amount of Rs 82.96 crore (2023-2026) to another newly incorporated related entity. “During the search, it has been revealed that a significant amount was transferred to a related entity of Carewell Aviation India Pvt Ltd for purchasing an Aircraft Embrarer Legacy 600 and one chopper, Augusta 109 SP,” the officials said.
They further mentioned that “an amount of Rs 112 crore was used for making the purchases of Aircraft Embrarer Legacy 600 and one chopper Augusta 109 SP.” The agency officials also revealed that “some foreign funding was utilised for making the purchase of the Agusta Chopper.” “However, most of the funds have been sourced directly from the accounts of AITC.”
Dubious Rental Arrangement
ED investigation also revealed that “the Legacy 600 Embraer aircraft and Agusta helicopter were rented out to AITC itself, even though they were purchased from the corpus of AITC.”
“Thereafter, substantial amounts were transferred on the pretext of aircraft usage,” ED found in its investigation into the alleged financial irregularities and the suspected routing of funds through bank accounts linked to the TMC. As per the investigators involved in the operation, “the entire arrangement appears highly dubious and seems designed to camouflage the actual beneficial purpose of the transactions, which is presently under investigation.”
PMLA Searches and Investigation Scope
Officials, familiar with the operation, said the searches are being carried out under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The agency is probing what it describes as dishonest financial transactions involving large sums of money that were allegedly routed through multiple entities for suspicious purposes.
ED’s preliminary findings indicated that Rs 160 crore was channelled through aviation and travel companies in transactions that have come under the scanner. Investigators suspect that the funds may have been diverted through complex financial arrangements, prompting the agency to intensify its probe.
Among the premises searched are those of Carewell Aviation, its directors, and a purported electoral trust believed to have handled or facilitated some of the financial transactions under investigation. Officials said documents, digital records, financial statements and other evidence are being examined to trace the movement of funds and establish the nature of the transactions. The searches are aimed at gathering additional evidence and identifying individuals and entities that may have played a role in the alleged financial dealings. (ANI)
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)