Trouble brews for Nabam Tuki, ED to probe his assets

New Delhi: Fresh trouble seems to be brewing for the former chief minister of Arunachal Pradesh, Nabam Tuki, as the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is now preparing to initiate money laundering probe against him on the basis of CBI’s FIR. The CBI recently booked Tuki on charges of corruption, cheating and forgery.

Sources in the central probe agency said, “ED sleuths are scrutinising documents related to the FIR registered by the anti-corruption branch of the Guwahati zone of the CBI. The ED will soon start its own probe under the stringent provisions of the money laundering act”. The CBI booked Tuki for the alleged corruption in awarding contracts worth Rs 3.20 crore for a government project in 2003. Tuki has been named as accused in the CBI’s FIR.

The ED sources said, “We will probe wether the  funds obtained through the alleged corrupt practices were laundered and if the ‘proceeds of the crime were subsequently used by the accused to create illegal assets’.

The ED will soon register a case and start its own probe, they added.

The CBI in its FIR alleged that Tuki, the then minister of consumer affairs and civil supplies in Arunachal Pradesh, had colluded with his brother Nabam Tagam to siphon off illegal gratification received for the contracts given to develop two parking places in Nirjulee and Naharlagun in the state worth Rs 61.43 lakh and Rs 2.60 crore. Tuki was the chief minister of the state during 2011-16.

Tuki’s brother Nabam Tagam, NN Osik, the then director civil supplies, and the then chief manager United Commercial Bank (Itanagar) Sohrab Ali Hazarika have also been booked by the CBI.

The CBI in its FIR alleged that Osik paid illegal gratification of Rs 30 lakh, which were credited in his account in Itanagar branch of the United Commercial Bank. The cheque was issued in the name of Tuki and was later changed to “yourself”, the agency alleged. It said Hazarika, as the branch manager, helped to get the amount credited in Tuki’s account and did not obtain any authorisation for alterations made in the cheque beneficiary. The name of account holder in the bank records were also “obliterated” and were replaced with T Nabam in the specimen signature card. A picture of Tuki’s brother Nabam Tagam was also put on the specimen signature card.

However, CBI’s investigation revealed that the account was indeed in the name of Tuki and his specimen signatures were on the account opening form. The CBI has booked all the accused for criminal conspiracy, forgery, and provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.