Gurugram, July 30 (IANS) The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) attached Rs 94 crore kept in foreign banks in a money-laundering case involving Amira Pure Foods, whose officials were accused in a Rs 1,201.85 crore loan fraud with a consortium of banks led by Canara Bank, an official said on Thursday.
With the latest attachment of foreign bank balances, the total value of assets seized in the case stands at Rs 226.26 crore, the ED official added.
The ED’s Gurugram Zonal Office issued a Provisional Attachment Order under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, on May 25, 2026.
The order provisionally attached available balances in foreign bank accounts amounting to $10,034,819.01 (approximately Rs 94.76 crore) maintained at the Bank of Singapore in a money-laundering case involving Amira Pure Foods Ltd.
The provisionally attached bank balances were maintained in the name of main accused Karan Chanana, Amira Foods Pte. Ltd., and Ananntya Pte. Ltd., the ED said.
The attachment has been served upon the parties through the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) mechanism with the United Kingdom and Singapore, and other available means, the agency added.
The ED initiated the investigation based on an FIR registered under various sections of the IPC, 1860, by the Central Bureau of Investigation (BS&FB), New Delhi. It was alleged that Amira Pure Foods Private Limited, through its directors, promoters, employees, and others, committed fraud by siphoning and diverting funds, criminal misappropriation, breach of trust, and cheating, causing a wrongful loss of approximately Rs 1,201.85 crore to the consortium of banks led by Canara Bank.
Amira Foods Group was engaged in manufacturing and selling branded packaged food, especially Indian basmati rice.
The ED investigation revealed that Amira Foods Group had availed huge bank loans and cash credit loans to the tune of approximately Rs 1,201.85 crore from a consortium of banks led by Canara Bank, which subsequently became NPA during 2017.
Further investigation revealed that Amira Pure Foods Private Limited and its promoters, shareholders, and directors committed the offence of money laundering. Accordingly, a Prosecution Complaint against 21 persons, companies, and entities has been filed in this case.
Earlier, during the course of investigation, the ED had identified properties constituting proceeds of crime and issued a Provisional Attachment Order dated March 13, 2024, attaching assets valued at Rs 131.51 crore, which the Adjudicating Authority subsequently confirmed under the PMLA.
Moreover, an investigation conducted under the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act, 2018 (FEOA) established that Karan A. Chanana and Anita Daing had left India and were residing in the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates, respectively, and had deliberately failed to return to India to face the due process of law. Therefore, Non-Bailable Warrants (NBWs) were issued against both accused.
Consequently, the ED filed an application under Section 4 of the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act, 2018 before the Special Court (PMLA), Rouse Avenue Courts, New Delhi, seeking declaration of Karan A. Chanana (Chairman and Managing Director of Amira Pure Foods Private Limited) and Anita Daing (Whole-Time Director of Amira Pure Foods Private Limited) as Fugitive Economic Offenders, along with confiscation of immovable properties belonging to the accused and their associates.
The Special Court, through its order dated February 6, declared both accused as Fugitive Economic Offenders and ordered confiscation of 46 immovable properties valued at approximately Rs 123 crore situated in Karnal and Faridabad.
–IANS
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