Money Laundering: 884 Firms Under Scanner

New Delhi: As many as 884 companies are being probed in various money laundering cases and assets worth Rs 5,000 crore have been attached as part of investigations initiated under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), Parliament was informed on Tuesday.

In a written reply to the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Corporate Affairs P.P. Chaudhary, however, also said that not a single company had been deregistered till date on charges of money laundering. He said that 884 companies are under investigation in various money laundering cases, and probes against these firms had resulted in attachment of assets worth Rs 5,066.3 crore and filing of 58 prosecution cases under the PMLA. The Minister's reply also noted that the registrations of over 2.26 lakh companies have been cancelled for remaining inactive for a period of two years, or more, as on December 2017.

Besides, over 3 lakh persons have been disqualified for holding the post of director at registered companies that falied to comply with regulatory requirements. Of these directors, more than 2 lakh disqualified directors were on the board of deregistered companies, Chaudhary added. (IANS)