The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has initiated an inquiry against ex-Tripura PWD Minister and incumbent Deputy Leader of the Opposition Badal Chowdhury, ex-Tripura Chief Secretary Yashpal Singh, and former Chief Engineer of PWD department Sunil Bhowmik in connection with the PWD case, registered under Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002.
The ED also stated that a total of six persons have been booked in this particular case. Sources in the investigating agency have said that the inquiry is in its initial stage and none of the accused persons has been served any notices.
The cases were registered against them followed by a Vigilance Commission report that found misappropriation of funds in connection with the development projects. The ED, on the other hand, took up the case on February 04 last and requested their property details.
According to a letter undersigned by Vikas Phogat, assistant director of Agartala Sub-Zonal office of ED, the directorate of land records and settlement, Sub Divisional Magistrates and sub-registrars of Jirania, Sadar and Belonia have been requested to furnish the copies of sale deeds, gift deeds, lease deed etc of any immovable property registered in the name of the six accused persons.
Earlier Chowdhury, Bhowmik, and Singh were also arrested by Tripura Police's Crime Branch unit for their involvement in a Rs 600 crore scam. Police sources said that a huge amount of public money was embezzled in connection with the construction of several development projects including the state's only fly over built-in Agartala city, but failed to file the charge sheet to date.
( With inputs from ANI )
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