The Enforcement Directorate has attached assets worth Rs three crore of a former Forest department officer in Assam in connection with its money laundering probe against him.
The agency said it acted against the ex-Deputy Conservator of Forests (Dhemaji) M C Talukdar after it booked him under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) based on an FIR by the Assam Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) which had earlier arrested him for allegedly taking a bribe of Rs 30,000.
"During a search of the premises of Talukdar, huge unaccounted cash and investment documents were recovered. Several pieces of wildlife articles such as elephant tusk, tiger skin, deer skin were recovered from his residence. This is one of the major attachments by the Enforcement Directorate against corruption in forest department.
"Talukdar was earlier posted at the Kaziranga Wildlife Sanctuary and his linkage to illegal wildlife trade cannot be ruled out. Further investigation is on," the agency said in a statement.
An attachment under PMLA is aimed at depriving the accused from obtaining benefits of their ill-gotten wealth and such an order by the ED can be appealed before the Adjudicating Authority under the Act within 180 days.
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