MUMBAI, Aug. 15 -- The Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) has launched an investigation into the alleged disproportionate assets of YS Reddy, former deputy director of town planning at the Vasai-Virar City Municipal Corporation (VVCMC), sources in the probe agency told Hindustan Times. Reddy was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday, along with former VVCMC commissioner Anil Pawar, former corporator Sitaram Gupta and co-accused Arun Gupta in connection with its money laundering probe into the construction of 41 illegal buildings in Vasai East, which were demolished as per court orders in February this year. All four accused were produced before a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court on Thursday and remanded in the ED's custody till August 20. The Thane unit of the ACB began the probe into Reddy's assets after it received a report from the ED regarding the seizure of gold ornaments worth Rs.23.25 crore and Rs.8.48 crore in cash from his bungalow in Hafizpet, Hyderabad and his house in Yeshwant Nagar, Virar, during searches carried out on June 3. Reddy, who was reportedly unable to account for the source of these assets, was subsequently suspended by the VVCMC and ordered to face a departmental inquiry as his alleged actions were in violation of the Maharashtra Civil Services (conduct) rules. "The probe against Reddy is based on the recoveries as it is not possible for a government official to acquire assets worth Rs.31.48 crore using their salary," Maruti Jagtap, superintendent of police (SP), ACB Thane. As part of the investigation, the ACB will look into Reddy's alleged benami flats in buildings constructed in Vasai-Virar during his tenure at the VVCMC. The flats were bribes, received in lieu of permissions given to builders to construct extra floors, suspect investigators. "It is a challenge to trace the properties which Reddy allegedly owns but are registered in the names of other people," an ACB officer who is part of the investigation told Hindustan Times, requesting not to be identified. The ACB's probe against Reddy is in pursuance with a first information report (FIR) registered by the Achole police on August 3, based on a complaint by the ACB. The complaint in turn was based on the ED's search and seizure report. Following the arrest of former VVCMC commissioner Anil Pawar over his alleged involvement in the illegal construction scam, the state general administration department of is awaiting a report from the ED to suspend him. "Once Pawar spends 48 hours in custody, he will be deemed suspended," said a senior officer aware of the matter, requesting not to be identified. The general administration department had earlier asked the urban development department to send a proposal for suspending Pawar. But the urban development department reverted, saying he had already been transferred on July 17 and had relinquished charge as VVCMC commissioner on July 24, when Manoj Suryvavanshi took over. The VVMC has, meanwhile, prepared a report on the decisions taken by Pawar as its commissioner, especially over the last 10 days of his tenure....