The NRI businessman CC Thampi has been arrested by the Enforcement Directorate as he was linked with a money laundering case, says officials on Monday.
The NRI businessman is being probed for alleged violations of over Rs 1,000 crore and other charges, under the anti- money laundering law, said the officials.
Thampi is being probed by the central agency in a case of purchase of property in Kerala in alleged contravention of the Foreign Exchange Management Act(FEMA).
Thampi is a Dubai- based NRI and is said to be the controller of Skylight Investments, FZE, Dubai and the owner of Holiday Group. The Enforcement Directorate says that, the firm of Sanjay Bhandari, Santech FZE purchased 12 Bryanston Square property for 1.9 million pound sterling in 2009, from Vortex which is a private holding. Skylight Investments has purchased all the shares of Vortex as soon as the property was sold.
It has been said that, The Dubai- based NRI businessman, Thampi has been arrested under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and is expected to be produced before the court on Monday.
The Dubai-based NRI has also been summoned by the agency in the past as he was questioned regarding the alleged links with Robert Vadra, who is the son- in- law of the President of Congress, Sonia Gandhi and also with Sanjay Bhandari who is a absconding arm,s dealer.
Thampi was earlier quizzed by the ED in the Gurugram land scam which is being described by the ED as the agency has come across several properties which included the properties worth 1.9 million pounds, a property of worth 4 million pounds and another property of worth 5 million pounds ans also six other flats and the total worth of the property is said to be around 12 million pounds. These properties are said to be in London and the suspicion has been raised that the property belongs to Robert Vadra.
Robert Vadra and CC Thampi have been questioned regarding their meet and how did they get to know each other. However, there has been varied replies as Robert Vadra has said that he had met CC Thampi on board an Emirate flight, in a statement that was taken on February 6, 2019. CC Thampi has said in a statement on August 6, 2017 that he had met Robert Vadra through Madhavan, who was the personal assistant of Congress leader Sonia Gandhi.
This contradiction has lead as an evidence that is being used by the Enforcement Directorate.
According to the agency sources, the Dubai- based NRI businessman was also being scanned for his dealing that were reported, with some politicians and bureaucrats.
