ED conducts raids in Kamakhya Temple fund misuse case

GUWAHATI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted multiple search operations on January 22, 2025, in connection with an alleged financial misappropriation involving a now-defunct board that previously managed the affairs of the Kamakhya Temple.

The searches were carried out under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.

According to an official release by the ED, it was based on a complaint by the Crime Investigation Department (CID), which stated that officials who were associated with the Kamakhya Debutter Board had diverted nearly Rs 7.62 crore from 2003 to 2019. As a result of these irregularities, the board was disbanded.

Some preliminary investigations point out that temple funds were siphoned into personal accounts of board officials through a maze of suspect entities posing as suppliers of various goods and services, including electrical equipment, construction materials, and maintenance supplies.

It further came to light that financial transactions were structured with the intention of keeping them below Rs 50,000 to avoid scrutiny by the court.

The court has put up this amount in which the district administration’s permission is sought for higher expenses.

Significant recoveries were made in searches conducted at the residences of former board administrator Riju Prasad Sarma and two late board members, Dhiraj Sarma and Naba Kanta Sarma.

Insurance policies valued at Rs 1.82 crore were seized by authorities, allegedly purchased in the names of board officials and their family members. Other documents include records of 27 bank accounts, property records, and business investments linked to the accused.

The Kamakhya Temple, within the Kamrup (Metropolitan) district, remains one of the region’s most highly regarded pilgrimage sites.

Probe operations are still ongoing to detail the full extent of the financial discrepancies and identify any other beneficiaries who allegedly benefited from the scam.