New Delhi, March 9 (UNI) The Enforcement Directorate (ED), Guwahati Zonal Office, today said that it has attached six immovable properties worth Rs 5.64 crore in an investigation related to a disproportionate assets case against Indreswar Kalita, IAS, the then Secretary to the Government of Assam, Excise Department.
The ED initiated the investigation on the basis of an FIR (first information report) registered by the CM’s Special Vigilance Cell (CMSVC), Guwahati, against Indreswar Kalita under the Prevention of Corruption Act for possession of assets disproportionate to his known sources of income.
The chargesheet, filed by the CMSVC, disclosed that during the check period between 2000 and 2018, Indreswar Kalita possessed assets disproportionate to his known sources of income to the tune of Rs 5.64 crore, constituting 131.12 per cent of his known income during the check period.
The PMLA investigation by the ED revealed that Indreswar Kalita acquired several immovable properties either in his own name or in the names of his wife and other family members who did not have corresponding sources of income. This was allegedly done to obscure the true beneficial ownership and the origin of funds. The said properties were purchased by deliberately understating the consideration amounts in registered sale deeds to conceal the actual cash deployment.
The ED investigation further revealed that Indreswar Kalita constructed a G 4 commercial-cum-residential building through a sham partnership firm with his wife and a relative (a mere namesake partner bearing no financial risk or income) as partners during the period 2015–2018, at a cost of approximately Rs 4.46 crore, thereby allegedly legitimising the proceeds of crime through the construction project. Post-construction, the property has been generating substantial rental income every month, which has been utilised for repaying bank loans, thereby integrating the laundered funds and the proceeds thereof back into the legitimate economy.
Further analysis of bank account statements revealed large cash deposits amounting to Rs 15.24 lakh in the account of Indreswar Kalita during the period 2006 to 2018 and Rs 16.92 lakh in the account of his wife during the period 2012 to 2018. These deposits were made during the service period of Indreswar Kalita and remain unexplained by any satisfactory or legitimate sources, thereby indicating the alleged utilisation and layering of proceeds of crime.
Further investigation into the matter is ongoing.
