In conjunction with a money laundering investigation involving Anil Parab, Sai Resort NX, and other parties, the Directorate of Enforcement has taken control of “Sai Resort NX,” which was built on property located in Gut No. 446, Murud, Dapoli, and Ratnagiri and falls outside the Coastal Regulation Zone (No Development Zone). The move was taken after the PMLA’s honourable adjudicating authority, by order dated 01.06.2023, affirmed the provisional attachment of assets valued at about Rs. 10.20 crore.
Anil Dattatray Parab, the then-Minister in the Maharashtra government, M/s Sai Resort, M/s Sea Conch Resort, and others were accused of violating Sections 19 and 15 of the Environment (Protection) Act of 1986, along with Section 7 of that same law, in a complaint brought before the Hon’ble Judicial Magistrate First Class, Dapoli, which served as the foundation for the investigation’s launch by ED.
Later, the Dapoli Police Station also filed an FIR under various IPC, 1860 sections, and while looking into the aforementioned FIR, Dapoli Police also discovered a number of additional crimes related to offences under various IPC, 1860 sections, and the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, which were also included in the aforementioned FIR.
Anil Parab and his close friend Sadanand Kadam concocted a scheme to obtain illegal approval from the Revenue Department Authorities in the State of Maharashtra for the construction of Twin Bungalows (Ground + 1 Floor) over a plot of agricultural land that was in a “No Development Zone,” and they then built an illegal resort called “Sai Resort NX” with Ground + 2 Floors in flagrant violation of CRZ-III.
Even though the Revenue Department Authorities knew that no construction was allowed on the aforementioned piece of agricultural land, they still granted permission due to undue pressure and influence. The permission for the construction of the twin bungalow was obtained in the name of the previous owner, specifically without his knowledge. The Gramme Panchayat was subsequently tricked, misled, defrauded, and under pressure to transfer the aforementioned land and building in the name of Anil Parab in order to legalise the unauthorised construction of “Sai Resort NX.”
Anil Parab paid for building expenditures in cash prior to registering the land in his name to use his unaccounted funds and hide his identity as the true owner so that responsibility for any subsequent violations could be assigned to the former owner. Anil Parab sold the aforementioned land on paper to Sadanand Kadam in order to conceal the illegalities and irregularities relating to the construction of the said resort within CRZ-III, or No Development Zone, when numerous complaints regarding the illegitimate construction of Sai Resort NX came under media scrutiny.
ED has provisionally attached assets worth 10.20 Crore in the form of land (approximately 42 Gunta) located at Gut No. 446 Murud, Dapoli, Ratnagiri, valued at Rs. 2,73,91,000/- and the resort named Sai Resort NX built over the said land, valued at Rs. 7,46,47,000/- during the course of the investigation under the PML Act, 2002. By ruling dated 01.06.2023, the Hon. Adjudicating Authority for PMLA affirmed the temporary attachment of the aforementioned assets.
The two people who were detained by the ED are Sadanand Kadam, a close friend of Anil Parab, and Jayram Deshpande, the former SDO for Dapoli. On May 6, 2023, the ED submitted a prosecution complaint, for which the Hon’ble Special PMLA Court took notice and issued a process against the accused. Further research is now being conducted.
