Guwahati: The Directorate of Enforcement has filed a prosecution complaint under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act against a former branch head of Assam Gramin Vikash Bank and another accused in connection with an alleged bank fraud and money laundering case involving Rs 7.28 crore in Assam, officials said on Tuesday.
According to the Directorate of Enforcement, the prosecution complaint was filed before the Special Court for Prevention of Money Laundering Act cases in Guwahati against Dibyajyoti Kalita, the then Branch Head of Assam Gramin Vikash Bank’s Lahorijan branch in Karbi Anglong district, and Birbahu Brahma, a resident of Goalpara district.
The case pertains to alleged offences under Sections 44(1)(b) and 45(1) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002.
The Directorate of Enforcement said its investigation was initiated on the basis of a first information report registered at Khatkhati Police Station in Karbi Anglong under Sections 420 and 409 of the Indian Penal Code.
The case was later re-registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation, Anti-Corruption Branch, Shillong.
The Central Bureau of Investigation subsequently filed a chargesheet on April 29, 2024, invoking additional provisions including Section 120-B of the Indian Penal Code and provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, against the accused persons.
According to the Directorate of Enforcement investigation, between December 2020 and April 2021, Kalita allegedly misappropriated Rs 7.28 crore from the Adjustment Clearing Account of the Assam Gramin Vikash Bank Lahorijan branch through 20 unauthorised transactions.
Officials alleged that the transactions were carried out using Finacle banking software credentials without supporting vouchers or customer instructions.
The probe further revealed that the alleged proceeds of crime were layered through fictitious customer accounts, multiple self-help group and society accounts, as well as fabricated term deposits and loans against deposits.
The Directorate of Enforcement claimed that the money was later routed into the personal account of the principal accused, the account of his wife, a tea-business partnership concern, and several surrogate accounts operated in the names of relatives and associates of the second accused.
The agency also said searches conducted in November 2024 at the residences of the accused led to the seizure of incriminating documents, handwritten notebooks detailing investments, property papers, cheque books belonging to third parties and a RuPay debit card allegedly linked to the principal accused.
Further investigation in the case is underway, the official added.
(IANS)
