ED attaches Rs 67 crore assets of former MP PWD engineer-in-chief, family under PMLA

Bhopal: The Directorate of Enforcement (ED), Bhopal zonal office, has provisionally attached movable and immovable assets worth approximately Rs 67.25 crore belonging to Govind Prasad Mehra, former engineer-in-chief of the Madhya Pradesh Public Works Department (PWD), and his family members under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.

According to the ED, the attachment follows an investigation initiated on the basis of an FIR registered by the Special Police Establishment (SPE), Lokayukta, Bhopal in October 2025. The FIR accused Mehra of allegedly possessing assets disproportionate to his known sources of income while serving in the PWD.

The case stems from an FIR filed on October 9, 2025.

The ED said its probe found that during the check period between March 4, 1985, and February 29, 2024, Mehra allegedly amassed wealth far exceeding his known lawful income. As per findings cited in the FIR, Mehra and his family had a lawful income of nearly Rs 4 crore, while assets and expenditure exceeding Rs 10 crore were identified, resulting in alleged disproportionate assets of approximately Rs 6 crore, amounting to nearly 150% more than his known income.

Searches carried out earlier by the Lokayukta at premises linked to Mehra and his family reportedly led to the recovery and seizure of cash, gold jewellery, silver articles and other valuables. According to the ED, investigators recovered cash worth Rs 8.79 lakh and gold jewellery valued at nearly Rs 3.51 crore from properties associated with the former PWD official.

Officials said the explanations provided regarding the acquisition of these assets were found to be unsubstantiated and unsupported by credible documentary evidence.

During the money laundering investigation, the ED also uncovered what it described as a high-value luxury property development known as Kasturi Krishi Farm in Narmadapuram district. Spread across nearly 70–72 acres, the farm property was allegedly developed into a luxury resort-style estate featuring cottages, residential units, internal roads, artificial water bodies, agricultural infrastructure and other premium amenities.

According to a valuation report cited by the agency, the market value of Kasturi Krishi Farm stands at nearly Rs 50 crore, including nearly Rs 16 crore spent on construction and development works. The ED alleged that the source of funds used for acquiring and developing the property could not be satisfactorily explained and lacked documentary backing.

The provisionally attached assets include residential properties, the resort-style Kasturi Krishi Farm, extensively developed land, premium cottages, recreational infrastructure, cash, gold jewellery, silver articles and other movable and immovable assets identified as alleged proceeds of crime or equivalent value.

Further probe is on.