ED Raids 13 Locations Across 3 States Over Alleged Rs 44-Crore Fake Tender Racket

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday said it had conducted search and seizure operations at 13 locations across Tripura, West Bengal and Maharashtra as part of a money-laundering probe into an alleged fake government tender racket involving a suspended IAS officer.

The searches were carried out on Wednesday by officials of the agency's Agartala Sub-Zonal Office in connection with an FIR registered at Capital Complex Police Station in West Tripura district.

According to the ED, the case originated from a complaint filed by Nagpur-based M/s SK Sales Corporation against a suspended Tripura-cadre IAS officer and his alleged associates.

The complainant alleged that it was fraudulently induced to pay earnest money deposits (EMDs) of approximately Rs 14.55 crore between September 2024 and February 2025 against purported government tenders in the mid-day meal and power sectors. However, the tenders were allegedly never floated.

The latest searches covered the residential premises of the suspended officer and those of alleged hawala operators in the Dharmanagar subdivision of North Tripura. These operators were reportedly projected as officials responsible for processing payments.

The ED also searched the offices of several companies and entities allegedly linked to the money trail.

During the operations, investigators seized a substantial volume of documentary evidence relating to suspected hawala transactions, details of several high-value properties and records indicating suspicious control over corporate entities.

The ED further alleged that the accused had defrauded multiple victims of more than Rs 44 crore in aggregate.