The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has frozen bank accounts, recurring deposits and fixed deposits having a balance of Rs 3.95 crores in the Trans Arunachal Highway Project case.

The ED’s move followed two search operations conducted in Arunachal Pradesh on Tuesday under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002 in respect of an investigation relating to the Trans Arunachal Highway Project.

ED initiated a money laundering investigation on the basis of an FIR dated February 2, 2019, registered by Special Investigation Cell (vigilance) Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), 1860, and section 13(1)(a) and 13(2) of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.

The FIR revealed that some government officials in conspiracy with some private individuals misappropriated the funds of compensation for the affected persons and beneficiaries of the Trans Arunachal Highway Project.