The Enforcement Directorate (ED), Hyderabad Zonal Office, has filed a prosecution complaint under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, before a special court in Ranga Reddy district in connection with a large-scale money laundering case linked to the late gangster Nayeemuddin, also known as Khwaja Nayeemuddin.
The prosecution complaint names ten accused persons, including Pasham Srinivas, Hasina Begum, Mohammed Tahera Begum, Mohammed Saleema Begum, Mohammed Abdul Saleem, Ahila Begum, Syed Neelofar, Firdaus Anjum, Mohammed Arif and Heena Kausar. The special PMLA court took cognisance of the complaint on January 20, 2025, and initiated further legal proceedings in the matter.
According to the ED, the case stems from allegations that the deceased gangster and his associates systematically grabbed land and other immovable properties by threatening, intimidating and forcibly coercing owners into transferring ownership. The investigation was initiated on the basis of a first information report registered by the Telangana police, which alleged that Nayeemuddin and his network used criminal force and fear to unlawfully acquire properties.
The ED also received critical inputs from the Income Tax Department, which had initiated proceedings under the Prohibition of Benami Property Transactions Act, 1988. These actions were based on information shared by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted by the Telangana government to probe illegally acquired assets linked to the late gangster and his associates.
Certified Cyber Crime Investigator Course Launched by Centre for Police Technology
Investigators found that Nayeemuddin, along with his family members and close associates, followed a well-organised modus operandi to identify valuable properties. Property owners were allegedly threatened with dire consequences, including death threats. In several cases, victims and their family members were reportedly abducted and taken to sub-registrar offices, where they were forced to execute sale deeds in favour of Nayeemuddin’s associates or family members.
The ED stated that these transactions were carried out without paying any genuine consideration to the original owners. In many instances, the victims did not receive any monetary compensation for their properties. Due to the intense intimidation and fear allegedly created by the criminal network, property owners were unable to approach the police or other authorities to lodge complaints.
The investigation further revealed that Pasham Srinivas was a close associate of Nayeemuddin and played a key role in identifying properties, pressuring owners and facilitating the forced registrations. The ED alleged that the gangster had entrusted his associates with ensuring that properties were registered in the names of his family members or trusted aides, creating layers of ownership to conceal the criminal origin of the assets.
Under the PMLA investigation, the ED identified a total of 91 immovable properties that were allegedly registered forcibly in the names of Nayeemuddin’s family members and associates. These assets, the agency said, represent proceeds of crime generated through organised criminal activity and are liable to confiscation under the provisions of the money laundering law.
However, the ED clarified that these properties had already been provisionally attached earlier by the Income Tax Department under the benami property law. As a result, the ED did not carry out a separate attachment under the PMLA during its investigation. Despite this, the prosecution complaint filed before the special court seeks the final confiscation of these properties in favour of the Central government.
Officials said the prosecution complaint details the alleged role of each accused, the manner in which properties were forcibly acquired and the methods used to project the proceeds of crime as legitimate assets through registration and layering.
The ED stated that further investigation in the case is ongoing. The agency is examining additional financial transactions, properties and potential beneficiaries linked to the criminal network, with the objective of uncovering the full extent of the money laundering operation and ensuring that illegally acquired assets are ultimately recovered.
About the author – Ayesha Aayat is a law student and contributor covering cybercrime, online frauds, and digital safety concerns. Her writing aims to raise awareness about evolving cyber threats and legal responses.
