New Delhi/Itanagar, April 1 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday said it has filed a supplementary prosecution complaint (SPC) before a court in Arunachal Pradesh under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, in connection with a Rs 44.98 crore land acquisition compensation scam linked to the Trans-Arunachal Highway (TAH), involving the alleged fraudulent diversion of government funds.
The Trans-Arunachal Highway is a major 2,407-km-long, two-lane highway project traversing 16 districts in Arunachal Pradesh and primarily functioning as National Highway-13 (NH-13).
The ED’s Itanagar Sub-Zonal Office filed the SPC before the Special Court (PMLA), Yupia, Arunachal Pradesh, under the provisions of the PMLA, 2002, in connection with the scam, the agency said in a statement.
It said the SPC has been filed under various sections of the PMLA to place on record additional evidence, an expanded financial trail, and the involvement of further accused persons in the offence of money laundering.
The ED initiated its investigation under the provisions of the PMLA on the basis of an FIR registered by the Special Investigation Cell (Vigilance), Itanagar, and a chargesheet filed under various sections of the IPC, 1860, and the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, which are scheduled offences under the PMLA.
The investigation revealed that a well-organised criminal conspiracy was allegedly hatched by public servants, including senior district-level officials, in connivance with private individuals to fraudulently divert government compensation funds earmarked for land acquisition under the TAH project (Potin-Bopi stretch).
It further revealed that the accused allegedly facilitated diversion of funds through the creation of fictitious beneficiaries, manipulation of official records, and preparation of forged bills, followed by routing and layering of funds through multiple bank accounts and intermediary entities to project the proceeds of crime as untainted property.
The ED had earlier filed a prosecution complaint on March 12, 2024, against Kabak Bhatt and others, which was taken cognisance of by the Special Court (PMLA), Yupia, on March 14, 2024.
Further investigation, including searches conducted under Section 17 of the PMLA on February 6, 2026, analysis of bank records, and statements recorded under Section 50 of the PMLA, led to the identification of additional proceeds of crime and involvement of more accused persons.
The supplementary complaint names additional accused persons, including Kemo Lollen (then Deputy Commissioner, Ziro), Bharat Lingu (then District Land Revenue and Settlement Officer, Ziro), Toko Taje (Junior Engineer), Kabak Bhatt (Junior Engineer), and Reddy Bei (Range Forest Officer), who were allegedly involved in various stages of assessment, approval, and facilitation of compensation disbursements.
Likha Maj and Tadar Babin, identified as fraudulent beneficiaries, are alleged to have received substantial compensation amounts without lawful entitlement and to have participated in routing, withdrawal, and utilisation of such funds. The role of Mojie Lollen as an intermediary facilitating the movement of funds has also been detailed in the complaint.
The ED said its investigation revealed that substantial amounts of government funds were diverted through multiple bank accounts. Of this, Rs 9.44 crore was routed through the account of Likha Maj, while Rs 5.47 crore was received by Tadar Babin without lawful entitlement.
The financial trail is stated to indicate layering through entities such as M/s T & G Enterprises and M/s Tenzin Enterprise. Statements recorded under Section 50 of the PMLA are said to corroborate documentary and financial evidence, including admission of receipt of compensation without entitlement and routing of funds on instructions of public servants.
The complaint also points to premature and unauthorised diversion of funds, including transfer of Rs 9.44 crore to fictitious beneficiaries through multiple cheque instruments prior to the formal commencement of compensation disbursement.
During the investigation, the ED has taken several actions to secure proceeds of crime, including seizure of cash amounting to Rs 2.40 crore and Rs 22 lakh, freezing of bank balances amounting to approximately Rs 1.19 crore, and earlier freezing of funds worth around Rs 3.95 crore in bank accounts and deposits.
The agency has also provisionally attached immovable properties valued at Rs 2.37 crore under the provisions of the PMLA.
Accordingly, the total value of proceeds of crime secured so far through attachment, seizure, and freezing in the case amounts to approximately Rs 10.13 crore.
The matter is currently before the Special Court (PMLA), and further investigation is in progress.
Source: IANS
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