Enforcement Directorate attached assets of Rs 117 crore of man who conned Mysore king’s taxidermist

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 nam
ED said in a statement.

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