In a major development, the Enforcement Directorate (ED), on Thursday, conducted raid on the office premises of former MLA Dr Ashish Deshmukh for allegedly transferring the land of his closed sugar factory to his own real estate companies. Sources close to the development said, Dr Ashish Deshmukh, who is Maharashtra Congress General Secretary has two offices in Shri Ram Towers, Sadar, on 6th floor, where he operates two companies -- Nirmiti Realties Private Limited and Takshashila Securities Private Limited. Both the companies are into real estate business. Sources alleged that Dr Ashish Deshmukh used to operate Ram Ganesh Gadkari Sugar Factory, Hetisurla in Saoner tehsil. The factory had been closed as it failed to repay the loan amount to the financial institutions and some other reasons. Dr Deshmukh had allegedly tried to transfer the land of the sugar factory to his own two companies -- Nirmiti Realties Private Limited and Takshashila Securities Private Limited.

 

The realty market after easing of COVID-19 pandemic is witnessing boom and the rates of properties in the market are quoted on higher side. He was allegedly indulged in selling the land of the factory at exorbitant rates. The alleged action is illegal as the land of the sugar factory is registered under the Co-operative Societies Act. After getting relevant information from some source, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted raid on the business premises of Dr Ashish Deshmukh and took into possession some relevant documents. The case has been registered under the relevant sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act 2002. Further investigation is under way, sources said.