The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday arrested Ramesh Chandra, the founder of Unitech Ltd, his daughter-in-law Preeti Chandra and Rajesh Malik, an executive linked with one of the associate companies, in connection with its money laundering probe against the group, people familiar with the development said.
Preeti Chandra is wife of Unitech promoter Sanjay Chandra, currently lodged in Mumbai jail, and she was taken into custody along with Ramesh Chandra, who is in his early 80s, under Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
ED’s probe pertains to alleged diversion of over ₹2,000 crore to Cyprus and Cayman Islands by Sanjay Chandra and his brother Ajay Chandra.
It even unearthed a “secret underground office” in Delhi which was being operated by Ramesh Chandra and visited by Sanjay and Ajay, whenever they were out on parole or bail.
“They (Chandras’) have been operating from inside the jail premises. They have rendered the entire judicial custody otiose. They are freely communicating and passing on instructions with the help of people deputed outside the jail premises”, ED informed the top court.