AGARTALA: A suspended IAS officer of the Tripura cadre, Abhishek Chandra, figures among those whose bank balances have been provisionally attached by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED), Agartala Sub Zonal Office.
The agency has traced Proceeds of Crime worth approximately Rs 1.12 crore under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, vide an order dated 31.07.2026.
According to the ED, “The attached assets comprise bank balances held in the names of shell entities controlled by Utpal Kumar Chowdhury, a suspended IAS officer of the Tripura cadre Abhishek Chandra, and a private housing company, representing Proceeds of Crime traced to them.”
The case pertains to impersonation of government officials and cheating of investors and businessmen through entities bearing deceptive similarity to government organisations.
The ED initiated the investigation on the basis of multiple FIRs registered by police in West Bengal and Tripura against Utpal Kumar Chowdhury and his associates for offences of cheating, forgery, criminal breach of trust and impersonation under the Indian Penal Code, 1860, and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, which are scheduled offences under the PMLA.
Investigation has revealed that Chowdhury projected himself as a senior officer of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, and got fake identity cards prepared to that effect.
He allegedly incorporated firms bearing deceptive similarity to government departments and public sector undertakings, and took control of a registered trust to lure businessmen and investors with false promises of government tenders and business profits.
On the role of the suspended officer, the ED stated, “Investigation has further revealed that Abhishek Chandra, IAS, an officer of the Tripura cadre presently under suspension, received Proceeds of Crime generated by Utpal Kumar Chowdhury and his associates, both directly into his personal bank accounts and indirectly through payments made by scheme entities to a private housing company towards booking of a flat in his name.”
This is not the first case against Chandra. Ukhrul Times had earlier reported that a Nagpur-based firm lodged an FIR at New Capital Complex Police Station in July 1, accusing Chandra, along with Krishna Chakraborty, Utpal Kumar Chowdhury and others, of cheating it of Rs 14.55 crore through fabricated Tripura government tender documents in the power and mid day meal sectors.
Including the present order, the total value of assets attached in the case across two Provisional Attachment Orders stands at approximately Rs 1.63 crore. The ED said, “Further investigation is under progress.”
