south

Updated: Nov 21, 2019 02:21 IST

The Enforcement Directorate has attached assets worth Rs 117 crore of a person who allegedly cheated a British taxidermist of the Maharaja of Mysore, the central agency said in a statement on Wednesday.

Two immovable properties measuring 220.10 acres worth Rs 117.87 crores, which includes a house in Mysuru and an agricultural coffee plant situated in Wayanad, owned by Micheal Floyd Eshwer other than 70 animal trophies and furniture made of rosewood, have been attached under the prevention of money laundering act, it added.

ED had started a probe against Eshwer on the basis of a chargesheet filed by Bengaluru CID in the case. A complaint had been filed by Late Edwin Joubert Vaningen, a British National, who was a taxidermist for the Maharaja of Mysore.

“Based on the Supreme Court order, investigation was conducted by CID, Bengaluru which revealed that Michael Floyd Eshwer, who is a horse trainer, had created false adoption deed in his favour and also got false death certificate of Edwin Joubert Vaningen and had fraudulently got the properties transferred in his name. Eshwer who was also training the horses in Mysore came to know about Vaningen and the properties held by him which were gifted by the Maharaja of Mysore for his services. Michael Floyd Eshwer came to know that Vaningen was unmarried and single and also old aged and he took advantage of his old age and fraudulently took possession of the property held by Vaningen by way of cheating,” ED said in a statement.

“Investigations conducted under PMLA revealed that accused Michael Floyd Eshwer in connivance with others cheated Vaningen and breached the trust of confidence. In this manner he fraudulently acquired two immovable properties from Vaningen. Further, Eshwer projected the said properties as untainted properties and thus committed offence of money laundering,” it added.