PSBs to get Rs 9k crore from assets of economic offenders

NEW DELHI: State-run banks will get a total of Rs 9,041.5 crore through the sale of assets belonging to economic offenders such as Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi, attached or seized by the Enforcement Directorate under the provisions of PMLA.

Taking to Twitter, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday said that fugitives and economic offenders will be actively pursued and dues would be recovered by attaching their properties.

"Fugitives & economic offenders will be actively pursued; their properties attached & dues recovered. #PSBs have already recovered Rs 1357 crore by selling such shares. A total of Rs 9041.5 crore shall be realized by banks through sale of such attached assets," she said.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) earlier on Wednesday handed over assets worth Rs 9,371 crore belonging to fugitive businessmen Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi, Mehul Choksi to state-run banks to realize the losses on account of the fraud committed against them.

The ED has booked the three on the basis of the FIR filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

The ED statement said that it has attached or seized assets worth Rs 18,170.02 crore which included assets worth Rs 969 crore in foreign countries.

"The quantum of the attached and seized assets represents 80.45 per cent of total bank loss of Rs 22,585.83 crore," it said, adding that the investigation by the ED has proved that a substantial part of these assets were held in the names of dummy entities, trusts, third persons, relatives of these accused.

"Today, DRT on behalf of SBI led consortium, has sold shares of United Breweries Limited for Rs 5,824.50 crore," it said, adding that further realization of Rs 800 crore by sale of shares is expected by June 25.

It also said that due to the cooperation and help extended by the ED, Public Sector Banks have already recovered Rs 1,357 crore by selling the shares earlier.

"Thus, the banks shall be realizing total amount of Rs 9,041.5 crore through sale of a part of assets attached/seized by ED under the provisions of PMLA," the ED said.

"As on date, out of total attached or seized assets of Rs 18,170.02 crore under provisions of PMLA, assets worth Rs 329.67 crore have been confiscated and assets worth Rs 9,041.5 crore, representing 40 per cent of total loss to the bank have been handed over to the Public Sector Banks," it added. (IANS)

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