Former Assam excise secretary’s six properties worth ₹5.64 crore provisionally attached by ED

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has provisionally attached immovable assets worth approximately ₹5.64 crore in connection with its ongoing money‑laundering investigation in a disproportionate assets case against former Assam excise secretary and Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Indreswar Kalita . The action was taken under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002 , officials said on Monday.

The investigation stems from a first information report (FIR) filed by the Chief Minister’s Special Vigilance Cell (CMSVC) in Guwahati, under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 , which alleged that Kalita accumulated assets disproportionate to his known sources of income during his tenure in the Assam government’s Excise Department.

According to the chargesheet filed by the CMSVC, Kalita amassed assets totaling ₹5.64 crore between March 1, 2000, and December 31, 2018 , which was around 131.12 per cent more than his declared income during that period.

As part of the probe, the ED issued a provisional attachment order for six immovable properties linked to Kalita, including a property on Zoo Road in Guwahati . These assets are now under ED control pending further investigation.

The agency alleged that Kalita acquired several properties either in his own name or in the names of his wife and other family members , who did not have corresponding legitimate income sources , a tactic the ED said was used to conceal the beneficial ownership and origin of funds . Investigators also claimed that consideration amounts were understated in registered sale deeds to hide the actual cash deployed in the transactions.

In addition to the attachment, the ED investigation has reportedly uncovered further details, including the construction of a G+4 commercial‑cum‑residential building between 2015 and 2018 through a partnership firm involving Kalita, his wife, and a relative who allegedly had no real financial stake. The property, built at an estimated cost of around ₹4.46 crore , now generates rental income that investigators believe has been used to repay bank loans , potentially integrating proceeds of crime into the legitimate financial system.

Investigators also noted large unexplained cash deposits in the bank accounts of Kalita and his wife over several years, which may indicate layering and utilisation of illicit funds . The ED’s probe is continuing and may lead to further actions, including the possibility of additional attachments or legal proceedings as evidence is examined and cases are prepared for court.