States » EastPosted at: Nov 5 2026 9:54PM


ED conducts raids at 13 locations across three states in ₹14.55 crore scam in Tripura

Agartala, Nov 5 (UNI) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has conducted searches at 13 locations in Tripura, West Bengal, and Maharashtra in the last 24 hours in connection with a ₹14.55 crore fraudulent government tender scheme linked to a fictitious organization called the Directorate of Higher Education.
Among those searched was the residence of suspended IAS officer Abhishek Chandra.
The operation was carried out by the ED's Agartala Sub-Zonal Office under Section 17 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, as part of an ongoing investigation into a suspected money laundering network.
The investigation was initiated following an FIR filed at the Capital Complex Police Station in West Tripura.
The case arose from a complaint by M/s SK Sales Corporation in Nagpur, which alleged it was defrauded of approximately ₹14.55 crore relating to government tenders for the mid-day meal program and the power sector.
The fraudulent activities reportedly occurred between September 2024 and February 2025, during which the complainant was persuaded to deposit Earnest Money Deposits (EMDs) for tenders that were never issued by the Tripura Government.
The ED's investigation has indicated that Abhishek Chandra, who is currently suspended, presented himself as an authority overseeing government tender processes.
He allegedly introduced the complainant to Utpal Kumar Chowdhury, portrayed as the person responsible for managing payments.
However, the investigation revealed that this group was not a government entity but a private business owned by Utpal Kumar Chowdhury, who operated under a name similar to the actual government department.
According to the ED, funds deposited into the bank accounts of this fake entity were quickly transferred through various shell companies, with numerous transactions reportedly occurring in a single day.
The agency also linked the suspected illicit earnings to real estate purchases, including apartments in a housing development and a residence in Shivaji Park, Mumbai.
These properties were allegedly acquired in the names of Abhishek Chandra’s family members.
Investigators believe that some of the funds were used for international travel and luxury goods, while a portion was channeled through a suspected hawala operator based in Kolkata.
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