Shillong, Jun 25: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) Shillong Sub Zonal Office has provisionally attached immovable property valued at Rs 40 lakh belonging to former MDC of Asanang Constituency, Ismail R. Marak.
According to a press release issued by the ED, the property was attached under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 in connection with the misappropriation of development funds of the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC).
The ED said that it launched the investigation on the basis of the chargesheet (Special PC Act Case No. 1/2023 dated May 18, 2023) filed before the Court of Special Judge (Prevention of Corruption Act), Tura arising out of the Meghalaya Lok Ayukta Complaint Case No. 1/2019 for offences punishable under Sections 7 (A) and 13 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.
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The ED investigation revealed that out of the ‘Grant for Excluded Areas’ of around Rs 28.66 crore received by the GHADC, an amount of Rs 1 crore was allocated to the Asanang MDC Constituency for 49 development projects.
In violation of the Meghalaya Financial Rules, 1981, an advance of 60 per cent of the work value was released to two contractors, namely Kubon Sangma and Nikseng Sangma, for the work orders allegedly obtained on the basis of forged signatures, even though the projects were never executed. The funds that were released were later siphoned off.
ED investigation under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act has traced that the money amounting to Rs 52.60 lakh was diverted to Ismail R. Marak (Rs 19.60 lakh, received in cash) and to his wife Pratibha Marak (Rs 33 lakh, received by bank transfer) routed through the two contractors – Kubon Sangma and Nikseng Sangma.
The immovable property belonging to the former MDC now attached by the ED is being held as the “value thereof” of the proceeds of crime, the value not exceeding the proceeds of crime so traced.
Earlier in the investigation, bank account balances aggregating Rs 16.38 lakh were frozen under Section 17 (A) of Prevention of Money Laundering Act. The freezing of the bank accounts has been confirmed by the Adjudicating Authority.
“Searches in the matter were conducted on December 4, 2025. Further investigation is under progress,” the ED said.
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