Fraud Of Crores Posing As Govt Officer: ED Revealed The Story Of Fraudster Of Tripura
- By Thetripurapost Desk, Agartala
- Aug 28, 2025
- 628
The Enforcement Directorate (ED), Agartala Sub Zonal Office conducted raids in several states in connection with the ongoing investigation against Utpal Kumar Chowdhury of Tripura under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.
The central investigating agency conducted searches in Delhi, Tripura, Haryana and West Bengal.
The West Bengal Police had registered an FIR against Utpal Kumar Choudhary. On the basis of this, the ED started investigation. The investigation revealed that he had set up a network of such institutions whose names were similar to government or public sector undertakings such as Directorate of Higher Education, Tripura, Bridge and Roof Company and Directorate of Apparel Council of India.
By including the names of institutions or companies similar to prestigious government institutions and public sector undertakings, he induced the public to invest money in such fake institutions.
Utpal Kumar Chowdhury pretended to be a high ranking official in the Government of India and cheated several people on the basis of false assurances of getting government loans.
He used to introduce himself as the head of Directorate of Higher Education, Tripura and cheated several educational institutions by promising to send students from Tripura to their institutions.
He also cheated several persons by falsely promising to give food tenders in various institutions under Directorate of Higher Education, Tripura. The accused fraudulently took control of an NGO named Chaltakhali Swamiji Seva Sangh registered under Foreign Contribution Regulation Act and opened its bank account to launder people's black money.
During investigation, it has been found that money was laundered through transactions in such bank accounts. Preliminary investigation reveals that more than Rs 200 crore has been laundered in the name of fake rubber business through rented bank accounts to various entities based in Haryana, Kolkata and Delhi through Chaltakhali Swamiji Seva Sangh.
The rubber business shown by Utpal Kumar Choudhary and his associates in several states including Tripura was found to be fake as there was no record of actual sale or purchase of rubber. Sale or purchase was shown only on paper. No details of transportation of rubber goods were also found. The trust was used to make entries to the above entities and in many cases huge cash withdrawals have been made after legalizing the income.
Utpal Kumar Chowdhury had close links with senior officials of the Tripura government, who used to introduce him to various businessmen as a high-ranking official. Through such introductions with businessmen, he duped them by making false promises of getting them various government contracts.
During interrogation, it is revealed that huge amount of money were paid to such senior officials of the Tripura government. During the search, various digital and physical evidence, stamps of various departments of the Tripura government like Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department, Directorate of Higher Education, Primary Schools, other PSUs and fake identity cards of Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India were recovered and seized.
Besides, cash worth Rs 7 lakh was seized and bank accounts with total balance of about Rs 60 lakh has been frozen.
Incriminating evidence has been found regarding investments in real estate and land in various places in Tripura. Utpal Kumar Choudhary is currently in Haryana jail.