In accordance with the Prevention of Money Laundering Act of 2002 (PMLA), the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) conducted search operations at nine residential and business locations in Daman (UT) and Valsad (Gujrat) connected to Suresh Patel and his associates on June 19, 2023.
The ED launched investigations under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002, against Suresh Patel @ Sukha and his associates based on the cases filed by the Daman Police, Gujarat Police, and Mumbai Police against the aforementioned accused for various offences including corruption, possession of illegal firearms, murder, extortion, etc. In addition to the cases mentioned above, there are more than 35 other cases against Suresh Patel and his associates that have been filed at different police stations in Gujarat and Daman for offences such as smuggling alcohol, murder, extortion, attempted murder, possession of illegal firearms, robbery, attacks on public employees, forgery of passports, etc.
According to the ED’s investigation, Suresh Patel and his collaborators built a network of businesses. Most businesses/firms either had no business at all or very limited business. They were established specifically to launder the illicit funds obtained via their illegal enterprises, i.e. bootlegging, Extortion, Corruption etc. It is revealed the bank accounts of Suresh Patel, his family members and the companies/firms controlled by him, have been credited with cash worth more than Rs. 100 Crore.
Suresh Patel is charged with a number of offences, including more than ten incidents of importing alcohol into Gujarat, seven cases of forgery and fraud, eight cases of murder or attempted murder, five cases of illegal weapon possession, and one case of corruption. In a case brought under Section 174-A of the Indian Penal Code, he was found guilty. In connection with a double homicide in Daman in 2018, Suresh Patel and his accomplices Ketan Patel, Vipul Patel, and Miten Patel are now being held in judicial custody.
During the searches at the locations connected to Suresh Jagubhai Patel and others, which led to the seizure of cash worth Rs. 1.62 crores, including more than Rs. 1 crore in 2000 rupee bills, documents related to more than 100 properties, including sale deeds in their names as well as in the names of relatives, agreements, power of attorneys, etc., incriminating documents relating to firms/companies/ establishments and cash transactions, as well as digital evidence a, The collected evidence is currently being subjected to physical and forensic investigation. Further research is now being conducted.
