New Delhi, Dec 21(UNI): The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested Priyanshu Boiragi, proprietor of Guwahati’s Purbashree Printing House, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the agency’s Guwahati Zonal Office announced on Sunday.
The arrest followed search operations at Boiragi’s premises. A Special PMLA Court has remanded him to ED custody for five days.
The money laundering probe stems from a First Information Report (FIR) registered by Assam’s Chief Minister’s Special Vigilance Cell under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Prevention of Corruption Act.
An ED official stated that Boiragi allegedly conspired with Chohan Doley (then Member Secretary of the Assam Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board – ABOCWWB), Gautam Baruwa (then Chairman, ABOCWWB), and other officials to “fraudulently siphon off Government funds collected as Labour Welfare Cess.”
The official explained that this Cess, collected at a rate of 1 per cent of construction costs, constitutes a dedicated fund for the social security and welfare of registered construction workers. It provides benefits such as accident and death assistance, medical aid, maternity benefits, pensions, educational support, and funeral assistance.
“The conspirators of the scam fraudulently siphoned off and laundered funds meant for the extremely poor sections of society,” the official said. According to the ED, during the 2013-14, 2014-15, and 2015-16 financial years, fraudulent printing contracts totalling Rs 121.05 crore were awarded to Boiragi through staged, fake, and forged tender processes.
Of this, Rs 118.55 crore was paid to Purbashree Printing House by the ABOCWWB. Large parts of these funds were either immediately converted into personal fixed deposits by Boiragi or routed through several shell entities in Delhi to obscure the trail of the proceeds of crime.
During the searches, incriminating evidence, electronic devices, and an Audi car were seized. In a previous action, Fixed Deposits and bank balances amounting to Rs 34.03 crore were attached, an order by the PMLA Adjudication Authority confirms.
ED arrests Guwahati printing press owner in Rs 121 Crore welfare fund scam
