Mysuru: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested a couple from the city in connection with a fraud and money laundering case at Central Institute of Petrochemicals Engineering & Technology (CIPET), under the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers, Government of India.

The arrests were made on the basis of a non-bailable warrant issued by a local Court for non-appearance.

The accused H.N.  Aravind and his wife Bindu Aravind had failed to appear in the Court when the matter was listed for framing of charges.

The ED had initiated an investigation on the basis of an First Information Report (FIR)  registered by the Central Bureau of Investigations (CBI) in 2009, under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC)and Section 13(2) r/w 13(1)(d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.

A money laundering investigation conducted by the Enforcement Directorate revealed that Aravind and Bindu Aravind, while working as technicians at CIPET, had siphoned off money to the tune of Rs. 1.2 crore and utilised it for purchasing movable and immovable properties.

In the wake of illegal transfer of funds, a case against the couple was registered at a designated Special Court for Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA) cases.

The case is now posted for framing of charges and start of trial proceedings.