Agartala, Aug. 1: The Directorate of Enforcement (ED), Agartala Sub-Zonal Office, has provisionally attached bank balances worth approximately ₹1.12 crore under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, in connection with an alleged multi-state fraud involving impersonation of Government officials and cheating businessmen and investors through entities resembling Government organisations.
According to the ED, the attachment was carried out through a Provisional Attachment Order issued on July 31, 2026. The attached assets comprise bank balances held in the names of shell entities allegedly controlled by Utpal Kumar Chowdhury, suspended Tripura cadre IAS officer Abhishek Chandra, and a private housing company. The agency has identified these funds as proceeds of crime.
The money laundering investigation was initiated on the basis of multiple FIRs registered by police in West Bengal and Tripura against Utpal Kumar Chowdhury and his associates. The FIRs involve allegations of cheating, forgery, criminal breach of trust and impersonation, all of which are scheduled offences under the PMLA.
The ED alleged that Utpal Kumar Chowdhury posed as a senior official of the Ministry of Home Affairs using forged identity cards. Investigators also found that he allegedly floated firms with names deceptively similar to Government departments and public sector undertakings, including “Directorate of Higher Education, Tripura” and “M/s Bridge & Roof Co.”, besides fraudulently taking control of the registered trust Chaltakhali Swamiji Seva Sangha.
According to the agency, these entities were used to deceive businessmen and investors by offering fake Government tenders, mid-day meal supply contracts and profitable rubber business ventures. Victims were allegedly induced to transfer crores of rupees into bank accounts operated by the accused.
The ED further stated that the proceeds of crime were routed through a network of shell companies before being withdrawn in cash or diverted into immovable properties, vehicles and other assets.
The investigation also alleges that suspended IAS officer Abhishek Chandra received proceeds of crime directly through his personal bank accounts and indirectly through payments made to a private housing company for the booking of a flat in his name.
With this latest attachment, the total value of assets provisionally attached in the case has risen to approximately ₹1.63 crore across two Provisional Attachment Orders. The Enforcement Directorate said that further investigation is in progress.
