Ahmedabad, Dec 23: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed a chargesheet against Ketan Patel, former President of the District Panchayat in Daman and Diu, in a case related to possession of assets disproportionate to his known sources of income, officials said on Friday.
The chargesheet was submitted by the ED’s Ahmedabad office before a Special court under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The case stems from a First Information Report (FIR) registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which had earlier filed its own chargesheet in the matter.
According to the CBI, Patel, a public servant, allegedly accumulated disproportionate assets worth approximately ₹3.77 crore during his tenure between October 2005 and October 2015. The ED’s subsequent probe found that Patel received corrupt money while serving as Panchayat President during this period.
The ED alleged that the illicit funds were routed through cash deposits and so-called ‘accommodation entries’, shown as loans that were never repaid, to conceal their origin. The agency claimed the money was used for personal expenses, including hotel stays and shopping.
In an official statement, the ED said, “The charges pertain to possession of assets disproportionate to his declared sources of income.” It added that “the accused allegedly received illicit funds during his tenure, which were routed through cash deposits and accommodation entries presented as loans.”
As part of its investigation, the ED had earlier provisionally attached assets valued at ₹3.77 crore belonging to Patel. These include commercial units in Mumbai, a plot of land, and a fixed deposit, the agency said.
Further proceedings in the case are awaited before the special PMLA court.
