Crushing an extensive Khair wood trafficking syndicate, ED’s Ahmedabad unit has provisionally seized 14 properties amounting to ₹11.3 crore under anti-money laundering laws. This PMLA-driven offensive addresses the financial underbelly of rampant illegal logging in Gujarat’s biodiversity hotspots.
The investigation kicked off from a pivotal FIR in Surat Forest Division’s Mandvi South Range, uncovering Wildlife Act violations. Masterminds Mustak Adam Tasiya, Mohammad Tahir Ahmad Hussain, and their network stripped Khair trees from sanctuaries across Vyara, Tapi, Surat, Valsad, Navsari, and Narmada, dispatching timber covertly to out-of-state buyers via shadowy channels.
Fiscal drains on the state were profound, compounded by habitat destruction threatening wildlife. Crores in dirty money were cleansed into real estate, prompting Godhra asset freezes. Echoing this, January’s prior attachments hit Prem Devi Luniya and Payal Choksey holdings, masking true values through undervaluation.
A related CBI scrutiny, initiated May 2018 on bank complaints, unmasked Ranjit Luniya’s loan scams. Colluding with valuer Mayur Shah and officials, he fabricated profiles for credit access, diverting proceeds to cash withdrawals for investments in gold and mortgages. Debts escalated from ₹1.50 lakh to nearly ₹11 crore.
ED’s multi-pronged pursuit exemplifies integrated enforcement against eco-financial crimes, fostering hope for preserved forests and purified economies.