Brother of ex-MHADA deputy collector who has ₹100-crore assets held in money laundering case

Nilesh Thakur will appear before a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act court today

The enforcement directorate (ED), currently investigating a money laundering case, recently arrested Nilesh Thakur, after his brother, former deputy collector of the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) Nitish Thakur, fled five years ago.

MHADA deputy collector Nitish Thakur was found to have amassed assets worth more than Rs100 crore, while his monthly income was just Rs28,000. (HT File Photo)

“Nilesh was arrested and will be produced before a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court on Wednesday,” said a source.

Read: ED attaches former Mhada deputy collector’s property worth Rs 56 cr

In March 2012, the Maharashtra anti-corruption bureau (ACB) arrested Nitish for allegedly amassing wealth disproportionate to his income. He was found to have assets worth more than Rs100 crore, while his monthly income was just Rs28,000.

ACB investigations revealed Rs17 crore was transferred into Nitish’s account from a Dubai-based bank. The ED began a probe, saying the unexplained overseas transaction was equivalent to money laundering. Nitish allegedly paid large sums to the Kalyani Charitable Trust, the properties of which the ED attached.

Nitish’s wife Meenal, his mother Chayya and Nilesh were booked in connection with the case in 2012.

In 2012, the ACB searched 26 of Thakur’s properties in Alibaug, Murud, Belkade, Kolgaon, Ghoteghar, Chikhli, Kandivili, Gorai, Borivli, Vile Parle, Andheri, Garodianagar and Ghatkopar.

The agency had attached fixed deposits worth Rs56 crore in 2015. In 2012, it attached seven of Nitish’s properties in Mumbai, Alibaug and Murud-Jinjira.