Kolkata, June 18: A special court has taken a significant step towards returning assets obtained through crime to their rightful owners. The court ordered the return of ₹3.05 crore to Eco Diagnostic Private Limited and ₹23.63 lakh to Prognosis Medical Systems Private Limited, both victims of money laundering.
According to a statement from the Enforcement Directorate (ED), this order was issued in connection with an ongoing case against Budhaditya Chattopadhyay and others.
The ED initiated an investigation based on an FIR registered at the Bidhannagar Electronic Complex police station. The charges include criminal conspiracy, fraud, criminal breach of trust, and forgery under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.
The accused allegedly defrauded Prognosis Medical Systems Private Limited of approximately ₹26.15 crore by falsely claiming influence within the West Bengal Health Department and collecting funds through a bank account created under the name ‘ACWBHF Services’ for tender-related advances.
The funds were subsequently transferred to various entities and personal accounts of the accused and their family members. Another FIR was registered against the same individual at Anandapur police station for similar fraudulent activities.
The ED’s investigation revealed that the accused created advances (Proceeds of Crime) through multiple accounts and entities, using them to purchase real estate and investments.
Search operations were conducted, relevant bank accounts were frozen, and properties acquired through the advances were seized.
The ED filed a complaint under Section 45 of the PMLA before the special court. Charges were framed against the main accused, Budhaditya Chattopadhyay, on September 22, 2025.
In light of the aim to restore the assets to legitimate claimants, the ED raised no objections in the special court regarding the release of properties that had been seized, frozen, or confiscated from the victims.
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