ED cracks down on Kamakhya Debutter Board officials in Rs 7.62 crore PMLA case; insurance policies worth Rs 1.82 crore, other docx seized

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaJanuary 23, 2025

The Directorate of Enforcement (ED), Guwahati Zonal Office, conducted search operations on Wednesday under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, targeting officials of the defunct Kamakhya Debutter Board for alleged misappropriation of temple funds amounting to Rs 7.62 crore from 2003 to 2019.

The ED’s action follows an FIR registered by CID, Guwahati, under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), 1860, against officials of the Kamakhya Debutter Board. The complaint alleges that the accused officials misappropriated temple funds by transferring them to shell entities and related businesses, payments were made for materials and services, such as electrical goods, cement, cleaning chemicals, and manpower, which were then rerouted to entities owned by officials for personal enrichment.

The officials allegedly split bills below Rs 50,000 to circumvent a court directive that required District Commissioner approval for larger expenditures.

The ED conducted search operations at the residential premises of Riju Prasad Sarma, then administrator, Kamakhya Debutter Board and Dhiraj Sarma & Naba Kanta Sarma, both deceased ex-officials of the Board.

The raids resulted in the seizure of key assets linked to financial misappropriation insurance policies worth Rs 1.82 crore, taken out in the names of board officials and their family members, documents related to immovable properties and business entities owned by the accused and their relatives and over 27 bank accounts linked to various individuals connected with the scam.

The ED’s ongoing investigation aims to trace and recover the full extent of Proceeds of Crime (PoC) linked to the scam. The agency is expected to take further action, including provisional attachment of assets and questioning of involved individuals.

The misappropriation of funds meant for Kamakhya Temple, one of India’s most revered pilgrimage sites, has sparked widespread outrage, with demands for stringent action against those responsible. The ED’s crackdown marks a significant step toward ensuring financial accountability in religious institutions.

Authorities are expected to expand the forensic audit of temple finances, investigate beneficiaries of diverted funds and related businesses and initiate legal proceedings under PMLA to recover the stolen funds.

The probe continues as enforcement agencies tighten their grip on financial fraud in religious trusts and administrative bodies.