Fake IDs and Seals Unearthed: Money Laundering Scandal in Tripura

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has seized fake seals and IDs belonging to the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Tripura government, and numerous public sector undertakings. This discovery was made during searches linked to a money laundering case against Utpal Kumar Chowdhury, who is alleged to have exploited his connections with government officials to dupe businessmen.

The ED revealed the involvement of senior Tripura government officers, who were handsomely compensated with substantial sums of money. Law enforcement agencies simultaneously carried out raids across multiple locations, including Tripura, Delhi, Haryana, and West Bengal, sharpening their focus on Chowdhury, who remains imprisoned in Haryana.

Chowdhury's fraudulent ventures extended to replicating company names mirroring government entities, tricking investors into bogus projects. Through an NGO under the FCRA, he laundered over Rs 200 crore under the guise of a counterfeit rubber business, distributing funds across Haryana, Kolkata, and Delhi. This extensive network of deceit also included attempts to secure government contracts under misleading pretenses.

(With inputs from agencies.)