Guwahati: ED attaches assets worth Rs 3 crore of ex-PWD executive engineer

Staff Reporter

Guwahati: The Directorate of Enforcement (ED), Guwahati Zonal Office, has provisionally attached immovable and movable properties valued at approximately Rs. 3.07 Crore belonging to Md. Chamed Ali, former Executive Engineer, Public Works Department (Roads), Government of Assam, and his family members, under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.

ED had initiated an investigation based on an FIR bearing Vigilance PS Case No. 09/2023 dated December 8, 2023, registered by the CM’s Special Vigilance Cell (CM’s SVC) against Md. Chamed Ali under Sections 13(1)(b) and 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (as amended in 2018). The CM’s SVC had filed Charge Sheet No. 4 of 2024, dated March 6, 2024, before the Court of Special Judge, Assam, Guwahati.

Investigation by the CM’s SVC revealed that Md. Chamed Ali, during his service period from January 1, 2000, to February 28, 2021, as Assistant Engineer, Assistant Executive Engineer, and Executive Engineer in various divisions of the state PWD (Roads), possessed disproportionate assets to the tune of Rs. 3.07 crore, which constituted 152.96% of his known sources of income. The accused, who had a total known income of Rs. 2.01 crore during the ‘check’ period, incurred expenditure of Rs. 4.27 crore, likely resulting in negative savings of Rs. 2.26 crore, resulting in disproportionate assets to the tune of Rs. 3.07 crore, for which he could not provide any satisfactory explanation.

The ED investigation also revealed that the accused systematically laundered the ‘proceeds of crime’ through a sophisticated, three-stage process. In the placement stage, cash proceeds totalling Rs. 92.3 lakh were introduced into the banking system through a benami account operated in the name of an illiterate woman running a small grocery shop and through unexplained cash deposits in family members’ accounts. The bank accounts of the illiterate woman also had deposits of Rs. 41.3 Lakh from PWD contractors related to Md. Chamed Ali. Investigations further revealed that in the layering stage, these proceeds were routed through family conduits to obscure the audit trail. Md. Chamed Ali’s wife received Rs. 28.16 Lakh from his brother-in-law, who is also a PWD contractor, as purported “gifts” which were never repaid, Rs. 17.3 Lakh from R.K. Industries (owned by a relative who is also a PWD contractor), and Rs. 4.15 Lakh transferred from the illiterate woman’s account.

In the integration stage, the layered proceeds were systematically converted into high-value real estate through a three-tier ownership structure designed to conceal beneficial ownership. Properties were acquired directly in Md. Chamed Ali’s name, in his wife’s name, and in his brother-in-law’s name with an Irrevocable Power of Attorney executed in his favour. The immovable properties which have been provisionally attached comprise five properties valued at Rs. 2.42 Crore. The movable properties include LIC policies totalling Rs. 65 lakh, with the total value attached at Rs. 3.07 crore. Further investigation is in progress, sources said.

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