ED files 2nd Supplementary Prosecution Complaint against former Odisha MLA Pravat Biswal, his wife and others

Bhubaneswar: Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has filed a second Supplementary Prosecution Complaint last month against erstwhile Choudwar-Cuttack MLA Pravat Ranjan Biswal, his wife Laxmi Bilasani Biswal, M/s Seashore Securities Ltd, M/s Seashore Multipurpose Cooperative Ltd, their two directors Prashant Kumar Dash and Pravat Kumar Dash, and three others, the ED informed media today.

The prosecution complaint has been filed before the Special Court (PMLA) in Bhubaneshwar. The Court has taken cognizance of the Prosecution Complaint. ED had earlier filed a Prosecution Complaint in this case in 2016 and a Supplementary Complaint was filed in 2017, a press release of the agency said.

ED initiated a probe on the basis of an FIR registered by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Crime Branch of Odisha Police wherein a chargesheet was also filed subsequently, under various Sections of the IPC, Prize Chits and Money Circulation Schemes (Banning) Act, 1978 and Odisha Protection of Interest of Depositors (in Financial Establishments) Act, 2011, the official communiqué stated.

The investigation was subsequently taken up by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), SPE, SCB, Kolkata vide FIR No-RC/49/S/2014-Kol, dated 05.06.2014, pursuant to the order of Orissa High Court.

ED investigation revealed that the Seashore Group of companies had collected huge funds from the public through their registered cooperatives and these funds were further diverted to their other shell companies and various related individuals for concealing the source of such funds and thereby layering the same. The proceeds of crime were also channelised through the accused persons as named in the supplementary complaint filed by the Central Government agency.

Further investigation into the case is underway.