Guwahati, Feb 10: The Directorate of Enforcement (ED), Gangtok Sub-Zonal Office, has provisionally attached movable and immovable assets valued at Rs. 32.57 lakh belonging to Narendra Kumar Chettri, his wife Jayanti Thapa, and other individuals under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. This attachment is linked to the fraudulent siphoning of funds from the Indian Himalayan Centre for Adventure and Eco Tourism (IHCAE), Chemchey, South Sikkim.
IHCAE, located atop Chemchey Village in Namchi district at an altitude of 6,582 feet, spans 21.2 acres. The institute is a pioneering establishment in the North East region, offering eco-tourism and adventure training courses that promote sustainable tourism practices. Inaugurated in 2009 by former Union Tourism Minister Smt. Kumari Selja alongside the then Sikkim Chief Minister, the center plays a vital role in fostering adventure tourism without compromising environmental integrity.
The ED investigation follows an FIR registered by the Sikkim Vigilance Police on June 13, 2016. According to the FIR, Narendra Kumar Chettri, during his tenure as Assistant Director-cum-Principal of IHCAE, dishonestly issued cheques amounting to Rs. 1.36 crore to unauthorized persons without maintaining proper official records. These funds were transferred to private individuals, including Chettri’s wife, and subsequently withdrawn in cash without any legitimate transactions or material procurement.
The provisionally attached assets include immovable property in South Sikkim, a plot measuring 0.1280 hectares owned by Chettri, as well as movable properties comprising bank account balances totaling Rs. 7.77 lakh. The accounts are spread across ICICI Bank, Axis Bank, State Bank of India (SBI), and HDFC Bank, held in the names of various individuals.
The ED stated that the attachment aims to prevent the disposal of properties acquired through illegal activities and to safeguard public funds. Efforts are underway to trace the remaining proceeds of the crime and identify additional individuals involved in the fraudulent scheme.
“The agency remains committed to ensuring that properties and assets acquired through illegal activities are identified and secured to prevent their disposal and to safeguard public funds,” the ED noted in its statement.
Further investigations are ongoing as the agency is working to uncover the full extent of the fraudulent activities and recover misappropriated funds.
Also Read: Thunderstrike Cricket Club clinches 1st Kakripara Premier League Title
Also Watch
Find latest news from every corner of Northeast India at hubnetwork.in, your online source for breaking news, video coverage.
Also, Follow us on-
Twitter-twitter.com/nemediahub
Youtube channel- www.youtube.com/@NortheastMediaHub2020
Instagram- www.instagram.com/ne_media_hub
Download our app from playstore – Northeast Media Hub
