Photo Courtesy: ukhrultimes
Itanagar: The Enforcement Directorate struck hard this week, seizing Rs 5.78 crore in illicit assets across Tripura and Arunachal Pradesh. Investigators exposed a web of hawala transactions, fake balance sheets, and land compensation fraud. The agency moved across three distinct fronts in just two days.
In Tripura, the Agartala office targeted an organized ganja trafficking ring. They seized Rs 2.21 crore in property from Bishu Kumar Tripura, Kamini Debbarma, and Bikash Debbarma. The gang moved drugs from Sepahijala to states like West Bengal and Bihar, hiding contraband in vehicles and rail shipments. The ED stated that the group "knowingly allowed his bank accounts to be used for routing and receiving proceeds of crime."
A second Tripura operation netted Rs 1.20 crore tied to a police officer. Dhruba Majumder and his wife, Anamika Majumder, faced scrutiny alongside Apu Ranjan Das. The ring smuggled codeine cough syrup and massive loads of ganja. They used modified vehicle compartments to bypass checkpoints while cleaning cash through bank accounts.
Meanwhile, the Itanagar office dismantled a massive land grab. Officials seized Rs 2.37 crore related to the Trans-Arunachal Highway project. Investigators found that corrupt officials and private actors siphoned off Rs 44.98 crore in compensation funds. The scheme involved inflated structural assessments and fraudulent beneficiary lists. Former deputy commissioner Kemo Lollen and other local officials allegedly funneled the cash through private accounts. Total recoveries in this highway case have now reached Rs 10.13 crore as the investigation drags on.
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