The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has attached approximately ₹1.10 crore lying in bank accounts linked to shell entities allegedly controlled by suspended Tripura cadre IAS officers Utpal Kumar Chowdhury and Abhishek Chandra in connection with a multi-crore cheating and money laundering case. The agency alleges that the two officers and their associates used fake government identities, shell companies and purported official connections to deceive businessmen and investors with promises of government contracts and lucrative business opportunities.
According to the ED, the investigation found that the accused floated multiple shell companies while falsely projecting themselves as senior officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs. They allegedly prepared forged identity cards and established entities bearing names closely resembling government departments and public sector undertakings, including the Directorate of Higher Education, Tripura and Bridge & Roof Co. The agency claims these names were deliberately chosen to gain public confidence and lend credibility to the alleged fraudulent operations.
The investigation further revealed that the accused allegedly took control of a registered trust, Chaltakhali Swamiji Seva Sangha, and used the network to attract businessmen and investors by promising government tenders, mid-day meal contracts and high returns from the rubber business. Based on these representations, investors allegedly transferred substantial sums into the bank accounts of various shell entities controlled by the accused.
The ED stated that the proceeds of crime were routed through a complex network of shell companies and associated entities before being layered through multiple financial transactions. Investigators also found that a significant amount of the funds was withdrawn in cash, while another portion was allegedly diverted into immovable properties, luxury vehicles and other assets. According to the agency, many of these assets were acquired in the names of the accused and their family members in an alleged attempt to disguise the illicit origin of the funds.
The agency further claimed that evidence gathered during the investigation indicates that suspended IAS officer Abhishek Chandra allegedly received proceeds of crime generated by Utpal Kumar Chowdhury and his associates directly into his personal bank accounts. The ED also alleged that payments made through the shell entities were used to book a residential flat in Chandra’s name with a private housing company. Investigators are examining the source, movement and beneficiaries of these financial transactions in detail.
According to the ED, Utpal Kumar Chowdhury and his associates are already facing multiple criminal cases registered in Tripura and West Bengal. The present money laundering investigation is based on the predicate offences linked to those cases. The agency is scrutinising bank records, company documents, property papers and digital financial evidence to trace the full extent of the alleged laundering network and identify other individuals who may have played a role in the operation.
The allegations remain under investigation, and no final conclusions have been reached. The attachment has been carried out under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The ED said the investigation is continuing and that additional bank accounts, properties and other assets may be attached if further evidence emerges. The agency is also examining the involvement of other individuals and entities connected to the alleged fraud and may initiate further legal action based on the findings of the ongoing investigation.
