New Delhi, Mar 11 (IANS): The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has attached properties worth Rs 66 lakh in a cyber fraud case registered in Jharkhand's Jamtara district.

Taking action under Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA), the Enforcement Directorate attached the properties of cyber criminals Pradip Kumar Mandal, Pintu Mandal, Ankush Kumar Mandal, Santosh Mandal and Ganesh Mandal in Jamtara district, the agency said on Thursday.

The attached assets include three immovable residential properties situated at Mirga village in Jamtara District, four vehicles as well as balances in the bank account.

The Enforcement Directorate initiated investigations against cybercriminals Pradeep and his unknown associates on the basis of a charge sheet filed by the Jamtara police against them in July 2016 alleging illegal withdrawal and transfer of money from others' ATMs or bank accounts in guise of bank manager and bank official.

Further investigation has revealed that the accused persons in connivance with other persons had acquired funds in their bank accounts as well as in the accounts of their family members by cheating the bank customers or other individuals and thereby they invested the same in the construction of houses and purchasing vehicles.

In September 2018, the ED had conducted raids in as many as six locations at two villages -- Mirga and Pabaya -- in Jamtara against the accused and various suspected bank accounts were found and freezed.

The agency has already filed a prosecution complaint on May 27, 2019 against the accused persons before the PMLA Special Court. The charges against all the accused persons have been already framed and the trial is underway.