New Delhi/Itanagar, Aug 14 (IANS) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has provisionally attached properties worth Rs 2.69 crore under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, in connection with alleged irregularities in the assessment and disbursement of land acquisition compensation for a highway project in Arunachal Pradesh, the central probe agency said on Friday.

The ED’s Itanagar Sub-Zonal office has provisionally attached two immovable properties worth Rs 2.69 crore belonging to Nyakpo Yangfo under the provisions of the PMLA, 2002, in connection with alleged irregularities in the assessment and disbursement of land acquisition compensation under the Lada-Sarli Frontier Highway Project (Package-IV and V) in Arunachal Pradesh.

The attached properties comprise land measuring 7,950 square metres at Taraso village valued at Rs 1.59 crore and land measuring 3,440 square metres along with two fish ponds at Chessa village valued at Rs 1.10 crore, both situated in Balijan Circle of Arunachal Pradesh’s Papum Pare district, an official statement said.

It added that the ED initiated investigation on the basis of FIR registered by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) at Itanagar in Arunachal Pradesh against various government officials and private beneficiaries.

The FIR alleged large-scale irregularities and misappropriation of public funds in the assessment, sanction and disbursement of land acquisition compensation under Package IV and V of the Lada-Sarli Frontier Highway Project.

The central probe agency investigation revealed that Nyakpo Yangfo was one of the beneficiaries of land compensation under the Lada-Sarli Frontier Highway Project who received compensation aggregating to Rs 3.36 crore under Package-IV and Package-V of the project.

Based on the findings of the Fact-Finding Committee/Re-verification exercise and beneficiary-wise comparative statements, around Rs 3.25 crore was identified as excess/ineligible compensation, attributable to bamboo, other ordinary trees and SPT building which were found not to exist during physical verification.

Investigation further revealed that immediately after receipt of compensation of Rs 1.89 crore on June 5, 2025, Nyakpo Yangfo transferred Rs 1.59 crore on June 6, 2025, towards purchase of land measuring 7,950 square metres at Taraso village.

Similarly, after receipt of further compensation of Rs 1.46 crore on July 22, 2025, Nyakpo Yangfo transferred Rs 1.10 crore on July 23, 2025, towards purchase of land measuring 3,440 square metres along with two fish ponds at Chessa village.

The investigation thus established a direct and identifiable money trail between the proceeds of crime and acquisition of the aforesaid immovable properties.

Accordingly, the aforesaid properties having an aggregate value of Rs 2.69 crore, being directly acquired out of the proceeds of crime, have been provisionally attached under the provisions of the PMLA, 2002.

Further investigation into the other beneficiaries of the scam, who received excess/ineligible compensation for the project, is underway.

–IANS

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