Bhopal, July 11: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has escalated its efforts in a significant government fund scam. On Thursday, a supplementary charge sheet was filed before a special judge in Indore under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). This case pertains to a fraudulent scheme involving ₹20.47 crore linked to the Block Education Office (BEO) in Kattiwada, located in the Alirajpur district of Madhya Pradesh.
The investigation was initiated based on an FIR lodged at the Kattiwada police station. According to a press release issued by the ED on Friday, it was revealed that Kamal Rathore, along with other accused, fraudulently approved bills between 2018 and 2023, unlawfully withdrawing government funds from the Alirajpur treasury.
It is alleged that the proceeds from the crime were laundered through multiple bank accounts operated by Rathore and his family members. Subsequently, the funds were withdrawn in cash and used to purchase agricultural land in the Gandhwani tehsil of Dhar district.
To conceal the illegal source of the money, the accused established a residential plotting project named ‘Shri Balaji Dham’ on the acquired land. This move aimed to present the unlawfully obtained assets as legitimate investments.
Previously, the ED conducted searches under the PMLA, seizing incriminating documents and freezing several bank accounts. The agency also temporarily confiscated assets worth ₹4.43 crore belonging to the accused, a decision later upheld by the Adjudicating Authority on March 10.
Further investigations revealed that the agricultural land was converted into 56 residential plots under the ‘Shri Balaji Dham’ project. The ED promptly seized these plots through a temporary attachment order issued on June 23, with a market value exceeding ₹6 crore.
This supplementary complaint is based on the initial charge sheet filed by the ED against Kamal Rathore and others on September 29, 2025. The special court in Indore has acknowledged the new filing and issued notices to the accused.
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D.K./V.C.
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