ED Conducts Searches at Five Tura Locations in GHADC Fund Scam
In a major development that has stirred political and administrative circles across Meghalaya, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday launched coordinated search operations at five locations in Tura, West Garo Hills, in connection with the alleged misappropriation of funds meant for the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC).
The searches mark the first-ever ED action of this scale in Tura, signaling the seriousness with which the agency is pursuing suspected money-laundering activities involving public funds.
₹28.66 Crore Development Fund Under Scanner
According to ED officials, the investigation focuses on approximately ₹28.66 crore sanctioned for development works in the Asanang constituency under GHADC. Despite significant allocations, authorities found that the majority of the proposed projects were never executed, raising suspicion of systematic fund diversion.
Initial findings suggest that around 60% of the sanctioned amount was released in advance to select contractors, bypassing financial norms. These contractors—identified as Kubon Sangma and Nikseng Sangma—reportedly received the funds without executing any of the sanctioned work.
Alleged Modus Operandi
Investigators believe the scheme involved coordinated action between GHADC officials and contractors:
- Cheques issued under the direction of Ismail Marak, former council member, were allegedly cashed out by Kubon Sangma, who then handed the entire amount back to Marak.
- In the second case, contractor Nikseng Sangma is said to have transferred the funds directly to a “pre-designated bank account,” bypassing the requirement of performing any work.
- Boston Ch. Marak, another former GHADC functionary, is also under scrutiny for his role in administrative approvals and financial clearances.
These patterns of fund release and withdrawal, the ED states, indicate clear violations of public financial procedures and possible criminal conspiracy.
ED’s Objective and Evidence Collection
The ED teams searched residences and offices linked to the accused to recover:
- Financial documents
- Digital records
- Bank statements and transaction trails
- Property and asset details
These materials are expected to help investigators trace the exact movement of the diverted funds and identify any additional individuals who may have benefited from the transactions.
Why This Case Matters
The GHADC plays a crucial role in administering tribal areas of the Garo Hills, and funds allocated to the council are meant for improving infrastructure, public utilities, and community welfare. Allegations of large-scale diversion undermine not only governance but also the developmental needs of the region.
The ED’s intervention, conducted under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), aims to ensure accountability and set a precedent for handling corruption within autonomous district councils.
What Happens Next
Officials indicated that more summons, statements, and possibly arrests may follow as the investigation progresses. The financial trails uncovered during the Tura raids will be crucial in determining the next steps.
As the probe intensifies, political and public reactions are expected to grow, with calls for transparency and responsibility likely to dominate discourse in the days ahead.
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