Maharashtra ACB attaches properties worth Rs 177 crore this year

MUMBAI: Properties worth over Rs 177 crore belonging to graft-tainted government servants were attached this year in Maharashtra, where the most corrupt officials were from Revenue Department, data compiled by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) showed.

The data showed that the most corrupt officials in Maharashtra Government belonged to Revenue Department followed by Public Works department (PWD).

The BJP-led government, since January, has permitted ACB to attach properties of 52 government officials who had amassed wealth disproportionate to their known sources of income. Of these, 10 officials were from Revenue Department and seven from PWD.

The total market value of the attached properties belonging to graft-tainted officials of all departments was Rs 177,15,88,039.

Of the eight ranges the ACB operates in, properties having the highest market value were attached in Thane (Rs 157,35,64,488) followed by Mumbai range (Rs 4,68,40,898).

"Once the ACB gets an authority letter from the government, it immediately attaches property of the official concerned. It then approaches the Small Causes Court and if it finds there indeed is a case of disproportionate assets, regular hearing is conducted," an official from the Home Department said.

Properties are attached till the case is over to prevent officials from selling or transferring them to someone else's name, he added.