ED files money laundering case against dismissed ACS officer Sukanya Bora; assets worth Rs 7.94 cr under scanner

The Directorate of Enforcement (ED), Guwahati Zonal Office, has filed a prosecution complaint before the Special Court in Assam against dismissed ACS officer Sukanya Bora in connection with a money laundering case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.

According to officials, Bora, who earlier served as Additional Deputy Commissioner (Development) in Kamrup (Metropolitan), is accused of offences under Section 3 of the PMLA, punishable under Section 4. The ED initiated its probe based on an FIR registered by the Vigilance Police Station of the Chief Minister’s Special Vigilance Cell (CMSVC), Assam Police, under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, for allegedly amassing assets disproportionate to her known sources of income.

The vigilance wing had already filed a chargesheet in the case, and the Special Court in Guwahati has taken cognisance, with the trial currently underway.

ED investigations revealed that Bora, who joined the Assam Civil Service in 2015 with a monthly salary of around ₹38,000, allegedly accumulated movable and immovable assets worth approximately ₹7.94 crore between March 2017 and February 2023. The agency stated that the assets were found to be disproportionate to her known income by as much as 786.26 per cent.

The probe further alleged that during her tenure in various postings, including as Circle Officer of Hajo Revenue Circle, Bora collected illegal gratification from applicants seeking land-related services such as mutation, registration, and sale permissions. These proceeds of crime were allegedly laundered through a network of benami transactions, layering via bank accounts of family members, and routing funds through a salon business.

Earlier, the ED had provisionally attached properties worth about ₹7.33 crore under the PMLA, which was later confirmed by the Adjudicating Authority in New Delhi. The attached assets include land parcels in Morigaon, Baghorbari and Hatigaon in Guwahati, a flat in Jayanagar, and a bank account with a balance of approximately ₹65.54 lakh.

Officials said further investigation in the case is ongoing.