ED Seizes Rs 44 Crore Assets of Ex-VVMC Chief Anil Pawar in Illegal Construction Scandal

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has taken significant action in a money laundering case involving illegal construction in Vasai-Virar. Properties worth Rs 71 crore have been attached, of which Rs 44 crore belong to Anil Pawar, the former chief of the Vasai-Virar City Municipal Corporation (VVMC).

The ED had previously filed charges against Pawar, deputy director of town planning Y S Reddy, and 16 others in connection with the construction of unauthorized buildings. The investigation led to the attachment of properties owned by the accused and builders who constructed 41 illegal buildings in Vasai-Virar, which were subsequently ordered for demolition by the High Court.

In August, the ED arrested Pawar, Reddy, and two others in the case, and they remain in judicial custody. The ED recorded statements from several builders and architects who admitted to paying bribes to Pawar, Reddy, and other VVCM officials to expedite the clearance of their building construction files.

Earlier, the ED seized Rs 8.6 crore in unaccounted cash and Rs 23.2 crore worth of jewellery from Reddy’s residence. Additionally, around Rs 1.3 crore in unaccounted cash belonging to Pawar was found at a relative’s premises, along with several property documents. The agency also gathered evidence that a relative of Pawar in Dadar had received a bribe of Rs 3.4 crore in cash, reportedly transported via an angadia.

The money laundering case is based on multiple FIRs linked to the unauthorized construction of 41 residential and commercial buildings on government and private land under the Vasai-Virar civic body. The buildings were demolished following a recent court order. This crackdown highlights the ED’s commitment to tackling corruption and ensuring the rule of law in the region.