Guwahati, May 20: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed a prosecution complaint under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) against two individuals, including a former branch head of the Assam Rural Development Bank, in connection with an alleged bank scam involving ₹7.28 crore.
Officials reported that the complaint was submitted to a special PMLA court in Guwahati against Divyajyoti Kalita and Birbahu Brahma, a resident of Golaghat district.
This case pertains to alleged offenses under Sections 44(1)(B) and 45(1) of the PMLA, 2002.
According to the ED, the investigation was initiated based on a First Information Report (FIR) filed under Sections 420 and 409 of the Indian Penal Code at the Khatkhati police station in Karbi Anglong district. The case was later re-registered by the CBI’s Anti-Corruption Branch in Shillong.
On April 29, 2024, the CBI filed a chargesheet against the accused under Section 120-B of the Indian Penal Code and various sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.
The ED’s investigation revealed that between December 2020 and April 2021, Kalita allegedly embezzled ₹7.28 crore through 20 unauthorized transactions from the adjustment clearing account of the bank’s Lahorijan branch.
Officials noted that these transactions were executed using Finacle banking software credentials without any vouchers or customer instructions.
The investigation also uncovered that the alleged illicit funds were laundered through fake customer accounts, self-help groups, society accounts, and through fraudulent fixed deposits and loans.
The ED claimed that the funds were subsequently transferred to the main accused’s personal account, his wife’s account, a partnership firm linked to the tea business, and several other accounts operated in the names of relatives and associates of the second accused.
During a search of the accused’s premises in November 2024, the agency recovered several incriminating documents, handwritten notebooks related to investments, property papers, third-party checkbooks, and a RuPay debit card allegedly linked to the main accused.
Officials stated that further investigation into the matter is ongoing.
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