MUMBAI, July 8 -- The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday recorded the statement of a 57-year-old businessman and complainant in a money laundering case against Purshottam Chavan, husband of a Maharashtra cadre IPS officer, and others. The businessman alleged that he and 18 others were duped of Rs.24.78 crore by Chavan and others who promised them homes at cheap rates under various government schemes. The businessman's statement was recorded under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) at ED's office at Ballard Estate in south Mumbai. He was at the ED office from around 12.30pm to 9.30pm and told investigators that was introduced to Chavan in December 2019 and Chavan visited his house in Colaba a few months later in 2020 to get his signature on an agreement for sale of a 3-bedroom flat in Prabhadevi. He further said that Chavan had claimed that the sale process of flats under government schemes was prolonged and had advised him to keep the matter confidential and not take any photocopies of signed documents. In all, the businessman paid Chavan around Rs.3.33 crore for the 3-bedroom flat worth around Rs.7-7.5 crore in the open market, he told investigators. The businessman's advocate, Mohan Tekavde, who accompanied him to the ED office, told HT, "The proceeds of crime were converted into untainted property by committing forgery and cheating." An ED official said that the agency would take the required steps soon. The investigating agency began probing the case after registering an ECIR (Enforcement Case Information Report) based on two first information reports (FIR) registered by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Mumbai police in January and February this year, said ED officials. Chavan, currently in judicial custody, has denied all allegations against him....