In a money laundering case lodged against a Dutch national, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has seized a luxurious resort in Punjab worth Rs 32.57 crore, officials said.
The Cabbana Resort and Spa in Punjab’s Phawara area belongs to Punjab-originDutch national Shivlal Pabbi and his associates. The property has been attached under Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) on request of the Netherlandsgovernment. Spread over several acres, the resort has hosted many corporate events and wedding ceremonies of high profile celebrities and businessmen.
The ED had initiated a money laundering investigation against alleged hawala operator Shivlal Pabbi and others.
“The money laundering investigation carried out by ED has revealed that Shivlal Pabbi committed cheating and forgery in the Netherlands on the basis of fraudulent and forged documents prepared in connivance with his Indian associates. Shivlal Pabbi ran an underground banking and hawala business in the Netherlands under the garb of garment business,” the officials said.
The proceeds of crime generated by Shivlal Pabbi were allegedly laundered through Pakistani individuals based in Dubai, who transferred the money to Shivlal Pabbi and his family members’ NRE (non-resident external) accounts in Phagwara. This money was then invested, according to the officials, in the development and construction of Cabbana Resort & Spa.
The resort is managed by Shivlal Pabbi’s cousins – Anil Kumar Chodha and Manoj Kumar Chodha. Shivlal Pabbi was arrested by the ED on July 17 while he was allegedly trying to flee from the country for Paris.
The ED had filed a chargesheet before a Mohali court on September 9 against Shivlal Pabbi, Anil Kumar Chodha, Manoj Kumar Chodha, Mukesh Sharma, Mayfair Resorts Private Limited and Cabbana Infrastructure Private Limited.
