Mumbai: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday recorded the statement of a Sion-based businessman in connection with a fresh money laundering case against Purushottam Chavan, the husband of a serving IPS officer. Chavan is already in judicial custody in connection with a separate investigation, and the ED is now likely to seek his custody in this latest case.
Flat Scam Under Government Quota: The Allegations
The money laundering case is based on a police FIR alleging that Chavan defrauded multiple individuals by promising luxury flats at heavily discounted rates under the pretext of a government housing quota. According to the complainant, Chavan lured him with the offer of a flat worth ₹7 crore for nearly half its price.
The complainant’s lawyer, Advocate Mohan Tekavde, said, “Proceeds of the crime were converted into untainted property by committing forgery and cheating.”
Official Premises Used to Gain Trust
One of the most startling claims in the complaint is that Chavan conducted the fraudulent transaction using official premises to gain credibility. The businessman alleged that he and his wife were called to sign property-related documents at a residence above the Colaba police station, the official residence of Chavan’s IPS officer wife.
Chavan also allegedly took the complainant to the Thane registration office, where the registration formalities were carried out. The victim claimed he trusted the process, believing its official setting ensured authenticity – only to discover later that the transaction was a “well-planned trap” executed with help from an unidentified government official.
Prior ED Probe Uncovered More Alleged Frauds
This is not Chavan’s first brush with the ED. He was previously investigated in a separate case for allegedly accepting funds from a money laundering accused, promising to use his influence to secure relief.
During a search at the Colaba residence, shared with his IPS officer wife, ED officials reportedly found multiple incriminating documents pointing to additional fraudulent schemes. Though unrelated to the original probe, the documents were forwarded to other agencies, prompting the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Mumbai Police to initiate a fresh FIR.
Broader Investigation May Unravel Further Links
With multiple agencies now involved and documents suggesting a network of scams, authorities suspect Chavan may have misused his access and influence across government offices to execute these frauds. Officials are examining whether more victims were similarly duped.
