ED Files Prosecution Complaint Against 10 Accused in Gangster Nayeemuddin Money Laundering Case

The Enforcement Directorate (ED), Hyderabad Zonal Office, has filed a prosecution complaint under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, against ten accused in a major money laundering case linked to the late gangster Nayeemuddin, also known as Khwaja Nayeemuddin. The complaint was submitted before the special PMLA court in Ranga Reddy district, which took cognisance of the matter on January 20, 2025.

The accused named in the prosecution complaint include Pasham Srinivas, Hasina Begum, Mohammed Tahera Begum, Mohammed Saleema Begum, Mohammed Abdul Saleem, Ahila Begum, Syed Neelofar, Firdaus Anjum, Mohammed Arif and Heena Kausar. According to the ED, all ten individuals were part of a well-organised criminal network that allegedly helped Nayeemuddin acquire properties through fear, force and intimidation.

The case originates from a first information report registered by the Telangana police, which accused Nayeemuddin and his associates of systematically grabbing land and other immovable assets. Investigators allege that property owners were threatened with violence, abducted in some instances, and forced to execute sale deeds at sub-registrar offices under coercion.

The ED also relied on inputs from the Income Tax Department, which had initiated proceedings under the Prohibition of Benami Property Transactions Act, 1988. These proceedings were based on findings of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted by the Telangana government to probe illegal assets accumulated by the gangster and his network.

According to the agency, the modus operandi involved identifying high-value properties and compelling owners to transfer ownership without paying genuine consideration. In several cases, victims allegedly received no payment at all. Due to the climate of fear allegedly created by the network, many victims were unable to approach law enforcement authorities at the time.

Investigators identified Pasham Srinivas as a close associate of Nayeemuddin who allegedly played a central role in locating properties, intimidating owners and facilitating forced registrations. Properties were often registered in the names of family members or trusted associates to create layers of ownership and conceal their criminal origin.

Under the PMLA probe, the ED identified 91 immovable properties that were allegedly acquired through coercion and registered in the names of Nayeemuddin’s relatives and associates. These properties are considered proceeds of crime. However, since the Income Tax Department had already provisionally attached these assets under the benami law, the ED did not carry out a separate attachment under PMLA. The prosecution complaint nonetheless seeks final confiscation of the properties in favour of the Central government.

Officials said the complaint lays out the role of each accused, the methods used to forcibly acquire land, and the mechanisms through which the assets were projected as legitimate. Such cases, authorities note, underline the importance of transparent financial trails, accurate record-keeping and regulatory oversight-areas where bookkeeping services in india play a critical role in identifying anomalies, tracing ownership structures and supporting enforcement actions.

The ED confirmed that further investigation is ongoing. The agency is continuing to examine financial transactions, property records and possible beneficiaries to uncover the full scale of the alleged money laundering operation and ensure recovery of illegally acquired assets.