ED attaches Rs 5.6cr immovable assets of state excise ex-secy

Guwahati: Enforcement Directorate (ED) has attached immovable properties, amounting to Rs 5.64 cr, of a former secretary of the state excise department. The accused had allegedly amassed the properties over 18 years, from 2000 to 2018.

ED initiated investigation on the basis of an FIR registered by CM’s Special Vigilance Cell (CMSVC) in Guwahati against the former excise department secretary Indreswar Kalita under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 for possession of assets disproportionate to his known sources of income.

In a statement, ED said the chargesheet filed by CMSVC disclosed that during the check period from March 1, 2000 to Dec 31, 2018, the accused IAS officers possessed assets disproportionate to his known sources of income to the tune of Rs. 5.64 Crore, constituting over 131% of his known income during the period.

The investigation by ED revealed that 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 income sources.

“This was done to obscure the true beneficial ownership and origin of funds. The said properties were purchased by deliberately understating the consideration amounts in registered sale deeds to conceal the actual cash deployment,” ED stated.

The investigation revealed that Kalita constructed a G+4 commercial-cum-residential building, through a sham 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 Rs 4.46 crore, thereby legitimising the proceeds of crime through the construction project.

ED said the analysis of the individual bank account statements revealed large cash deposits amounting to Rs 15,24,000 in the account of Kalita during the period 2006 to 2018 and Rs 16,92,000 in the account of his wife during the period 2012 to 2018. “These deposits were made during the service period of Kalita and remain unexplained by any legitimate sources,” ED added.