Assam Bank Fraud: ED Files Money Laundering Case Over Rs 7.28 Crore Scam

The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has filed a prosecution complaint in a money laundering case linked to an alleged bank fraud of Rs 7.28 crore in Assam.

The case has been registered against Dibyajyoti Kalita, the former branch head of Assam Gramin Vikash Bank’s Lahorijan branch in Karbi Anglong district, and Birbahu Brahma, a resident of Goalpara district.

According to the Directorate of Enforcement, the investigation began after an FIR was lodged at Khatkhati Police Station in Karbi Anglong. The case was later taken up by the Central Bureau of Investigation, which filed a chargesheet in April 2024.

The ED alleged that between December 2020 and April 2021, Kalita fraudulently transferred Rs 7.28 crore from the bank through 20 unauthorised transactions. Officials said the funds were moved using banking software credentials without customer approval or supporting documentation.

During the probe, investigators found that the alleged proceeds of crime were routed through fake customer accounts, self-help group accounts, as well as fabricated fixed deposits and loan accounts.

The agency further claimed that the money was subsequently transferred into the personal accounts of the accused, his wife, a tea business partnership firm, and multiple accounts linked to relatives and associates of the co-accused.

The ED also carried out searches at the residences of the accused in November 2024, during which it seized several documents, including property papers, cheque books, handwritten notebooks, and a RuPay debit card allegedly linked to the main accused.

Further investigation into the case is currently underway, officials said.