The Directorate of Enforcement (ED), Guwahati Zonal Office, has provisionally attached immovable properties worth approximately ₹53.28 crore in a money laundering case involving former Assam IPS officer (promotee) Prasanta Kumar Dutta, his family members and associated companies.
In a statement, the ED said the investigation was initiated on the basis of an FIR registered by the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Branch of Assam Police. Dutta, who retired as Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police in 2019, is accused of amassing assets disproportionate to his known sources of income during his service between 1992 and 2019.
According to the agency, Dutta and his wife possessed assets worth ₹77.21 crore against a disclosed income of around ₹7.23 crore and expenditure of about ₹9.04 crore. Based on the available evidence, the ED said the net disproportionate assets were assessed at approximately ₹79.01 crore.
The investigation under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) allegedly found that the proceeds of crime were laundered through three closely held companies—Mahamaya Estates Pvt. Ltd., Ishan Commercial Pvt. Ltd. and Murari Commodities Pvt. Ltd. The ED stated that the registered offices of these companies were found to be non-existent.
According to the agency, nearly ₹14.75 crore in unexplained cash was introduced into the bank accounts of Dutta's family members and the companies. The funds were allegedly layered through fictitious shareholders, Kolkata-based shell entities and circular banking transactions before being invested in hotel properties and residential flats.
The ED further alleged that many individuals shown as shareholders of the three companies had no independent means or financial capacity to invest the amounts attributed to them. Investigators claimed that several shareholders were fictitious or name-lending entities who were unable to explain the source of their investments.
The agency also alleged that following his retirement, Dutta had 3.7 lakh shares of Ishan Commercial Pvt. Ltd. transferred from dummy and fictitious shareholders to his own name, making him the largest shareholder of the company, which owns three of the four hotels under investigation.
As part of the provisional attachment, the ED has attached four hotels located in Guwahati and two residential flats in Mumbai's Andheri West. The agency said further investigation into the case is continuing.
