The Enforcement Directorate (ED) attached assets worth over Rs 4,700 crore belonging to Gujarat-based Sterling Biotech Group of companies in connection with a bank fraud to the tune of Rs 5,000 crore.

The agency says that senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel's son-in-law Irfan Siddiqui allegedly accepted cash from the owner of the company. It's is alleged that Chetan Jayantilal Sandesara, an owner of Sterling Biotech Group who is absconding, visited Siddiqui's house regularly, even at midnight, to give him money.

The agency had also arrested an alleged close aide of Ahmed Patel, Delhi-resident Gagan Dhawan, in connection with the case. He is accused of facilitating the directors of the pharma firm Sterling Biotech Ltd in purchasing several properties and helped in the misuse and diversion of the credit facilities of several banks, totalling to Rs 5,000 crore.

Despite repeated calls and texts, Patel could not be reached for comment on the matter as he is out of the country.

The agency is probing money laundering investigation involving Sterling Biotech Ltd., its promoters Nitin Sandesara and Chetan Sandesara, and others. The ED had registered a case of money laundering against the company, its promoters and others in October 2017.

The attached assets include immovable properties of around 4,000 acres, plant machinery, around 200 bank accounts of various companies and accounts of promoters, shares worth Rs 6.67 crore and various high-end luxury cars.