ED Strikes Godhra: 14 Properties Worth ₹11.3 Crore Seized in Major Money Laundering Crackdown
(By Syed Ali Taher Abedi)
Ahmedabad, 22, January,2026- The Directorate of Enforcement (ED), through its Ahmedabad Zonal Office, has invoked the stringent provisions of Section 5(1) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA), by issuing a Provisional Attachment Order (PAO) in the ongoing investigation against Arif Ali Amjad Ali Khan and other associated persons (“and Ors.”).
This order provisionally attaches a total of 14 immovable properties, collectively valued at approximately Rs. 11.3 crore, situated within Godhra District, Gujarat.
The ED’s probe was triggered by the First Offence Report (FOR) lodged by the Range Forest Officer, Mandvi South Range, Surat Forest Division, Surat, pertaining to the accused’s alleged involvement in the illegal smuggling of Khair Wood—a scheduled timber species—in blatant contravention of key provisions under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, including but not limited to Sections 39, 44, and 50 thereof.
Such predicate offences, involving the illicit trade of protected forest produce, have been prima facie linked to the generation and laundering of proceeds of crime, warranting this pre-emptive attachment to prevent dissipation of tainted assets pending further adjudication by the Adjudicating Authority under PMLA.
The gravamen of the allegations in the present criminal proceedings is that the accused persons, namely Mustaq Adam Tasiya, Moh. Tahir Ahmed Hussain and others, were engaged in the illegal felling of Khair trees from notified Wildlife Sanctuaries located in various districts of the State of Gujarat, including Vyara, Tapi, Surat, Valsad, Navsari and Narmada, without obtaining the requisite permissions from the competent forest authorities. It is further alleged that the illegally felled timber was transported across State borders and sold unlawfully, resulting in large-scale destruction of forest resources, damage to the natural habitat of wildlife, and the generation of substantial proceeds of crime.
The investigation carried out by the Enforcement Directorate revealed that Mustaq Adam Tasiya and Moh. Tahir Ahmed Hussain, acting in concert with their associates, were habitually and systematically involved in the unauthorised cutting of Khair trees.
The illegally procured timber was subsequently disposed of in the grey market, causing significant financial loss to the Government exchequer. As a consequence of these illicit activities, proceeds of crime running into several crores of rupees were generated.
Accordingly, the Enforcement Directorate has identified and provisionally attached assets valued at approximately ₹11.3 crore in connection with the said offences.
