Thinagaraja is alleged to have forged cheques signed by the judge and illicitly deposited cheques into his own bank accounts.
Published Jan 02, 2024 | 11:09 AM ⚊ Updated Jan 02, 2024 | 11:09 AM
Enforcement Directorate.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday, 1 January, said that it has attached a plot, building, an SUV, and cash totalling ₹1.15 crore of a court translator and his family members in Tamil Nadu as part of a probe against him in an alleged court funds embezzlement case.
The accused, C Thinagaraja, was first booked by the district crime branch (DCB) of Pattukottai police in Thanjavur district for “misappropriation of judicial court funds”, it said in a statement.
Thinagaraja, while working as translator/Central Nazir at the 3rd additional district court at Pattukottai, handled the motor accident claim tribunal’s payment works during which he “fraudulently” prepared and signed payment instructions to banks “without” the signature of the Judge.
He is alleged to have “forged” cheques signed by the Judge and “illicitly deposited cheques into his own bank accounts and thus misappropriated judicial court funds amounting to ₹1.15 crore,” the ED stated.
The ED alleged that Thinagaraja, with this money, purchased a plot with a ground floor house in the name of his wife Manimozhi for ₹44 lakh at Pattukottai and further spent ₹31 lakh for construction of its first floor, bought an Innova Crysta car for ₹18 lakh in the name of his son, and kept ₹20.50 lakh at his residence, which was first seized by the DCB.
Upon establishing the money trail of the “proceeds of crime” with the assets acquired, the movable and immovable properties valued at ₹1.15 crore, belonging to C Thinagaraja and his family members, were provisionally attached under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the ED said.
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