The Enforcement Directorate on December 18 searched premises linked to the deceased brother of a Biju Janata Dal lawmaker in Odisha as part of a money laundering investigation.
The house and some other locations linked to late Khirod Malik, brother of Biju Janta Dal (BJD) legislator Pramila Malik, in Sambalpur are being raided, the sources told news agency PTI.
A response from the MLA could not be obtained immediately.
Pramila Malik is a seven-time MLA. She represents the Binjharpur assembly seat (Jajpur district) in the Odisha assembly.
The 61-year-old politician has served as the revenue and disaster management minister in the CM Naveen Patnaik government. Khirod Malik had died in September.
The money laundering investigation of the central agency is allegedly linked to a bank loan fraud case, the sources said.
The ED action is part of an inquiry into alleged financial fraud amounting to ₹231 crore. Malik is accused of securing loans from various national and private banks under questionable pretenses.
His NGO, Bharat Integrated Social Welfare Agency (BISWA), is under scrutiny for allegedly misusing a significant amount of funds. Reports have surfaced suggesting that Khirod Mallik may have banking channels to secure loans.
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