Kochi, March 11 – The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has provisionally attached assets worth approximately ₹1.44 crore in connection with the misappropriation of funds of the United Nurses Association (UNA) in Kerala, an official statement said on Wednesday.
The action was taken by the ED’s Cochin Zonal Office on March 9 under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, in a case involving Jasminsha M, former national/international president of the United Nurses Association.
The ED initiated its investigation based on an FIR registered by the Crime Branch Police Station in Thrissur under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). A charge sheet was later filed before the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court in Thrissur against Jasminsha, his wife Shabna M.A., and several other office-bearers of the association, including Shoby Joseph, Nidhin Mohan, Jithu P.D., Sujanapal A.K., Bibin N. Paul and Sudheep M.V.
They have been accused of offences such as criminal conspiracy, cheating, criminal breach of trust, forgery and destruction of evidence.
According to the ED, the investigation revealed that Jasminsha, during his tenure as national president of the United Nurses Association in Thrissur between 2017 and 2019, conspired with his wife and other office-bearers to misappropriate membership levies and funds of the organisation.
The probe found that funds were diverted through cash withdrawals, inter-account transfers and routing of money into personal bank accounts in violation of the association’s bylaws. The proceeds were allegedly laundered and used for personal expenses, including payment of EMIs for vehicles and an apartment, as well as other private expenditures.
Investigators also found that fabricated committee meeting minutes were created to present the transactions as legitimate organisational expenses.
The ED has identified proceeds of crime amounting to approximately ₹1.44 crore. Since a significant portion of the funds had been withdrawn in cash, routed through intermediaries, concealed or already spent, the agency has provisionally attached properties of equivalent value.
The attached assets include five immovable properties and four fixed deposits or movable assets worth about ₹1.44 crore in the names of Jasminsha, Shabna M.A., Bibin N. Paul and Shoby Joseph.
These assets include land parcels and a residential flat located in Malappuram, Palakkad, Thrissur and Idukki districts, along with fixed deposits.
The ED said further investigation into the case is underway.