ED Secures Major Seizure: Ex-IAS Officer's Assets Under Scrutiny

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has taken significant action in the ongoing probe against retired IAS officer Murari Lal Tayal, formerly the Principal Secretary to ex-Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda. On Monday, the ED announced the attachment of nine immovable properties, located in Chandigarh, New Delhi, and Gurgaon, along with bank balances amounting to Rs 14.06 crore.

The assets, including two houses and seven apartments, were seized by the Chandigarh Zonal Office on June 30 under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) of 2002. The move follows a First Information Report (FIR) filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Tayal, a 1976 batch IAS officer, is under scrutiny for disproportionate assets beyond known sources of income.

According to the FIR, Tayal accrued these assets while serving as Principal Secretary from March 2005 to October 2009, and as a member of the Competition Commission of India till December 2014. The ED's investigation delved into Tayal's financial records, income tax returns, and stock market activities, revealing acquisition of assets using illicit funds, worth approximately Rs 14.06 crore.

(With inputs from agencies.)