Mysuru: Reacting to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) attaching his properties under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), Michael Floyd Eshwer said that the entire case was fabricated and based on faulty investigation. “This is to tarnish my image and to extract money from me,” he said. 

Speaking to Star of Mysore this morning, Michael Floyd Eshwer said, “The entire case filed against me was false. The FIR number mentioned the chargesheet referred to some other case in the Station House Diary. The CID case is pending in the Karnataka High Court and in such a situation how can the ED attach properties,” he questioned. 

“My house was registered on Nov. 14, 2005, estate on Feb. 2, 2006. Van Ingen’s trophies were transferred to my name from the Chief Conservator of Forest, Aranya Bhavan on July 7, 2007. The Prevention of Money Laundering Act under which the ED has attached my properties came into force only on March 6, 2009. This being the case, how can the ED have jurisdiction or powers to take over the case? I will challenge this before the High Court and pray for quashing the ED case,” he said. 

“The records are forged and fabricated and the investigation has not been carried in a fair, transparent and impartial manner. The properties including the bungalow and estate were registered in my name at Sub-Registrar’s Offices in Mysuru and Manandawadi in Kerala. In fact, Van Ingen himself had accompanied me to get the properties registered in my name. Certain vested interests had filed a false case against me only to extract money. I am confident that justice would be served as I had not committed any fraud,” Eshwer said.