Shillong, June 24: Directorate of Enforcement (ED), Shillong Sub-Zonal Office has provisionally attached immovable property valued at Rs 40 lakh under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002 in connection with the misappropriation of development funds of the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC).
The property is of Ismail R Marak, former Member of the District Council (MDC) from the Asanang Constituency.
In a statement issued on June 24, the ED saud it initiated investigation on the basis of the charge sheet (Special P.C. Act Case No. 01/2023 dated 18.05.2023) filed before the Court of the Special Judge, Prevention of Corruption Act,1988, West Garo Hills, Tura, arising out of Meghalaya Lokayukta complaint case No.01/2019, for offences punishable under Sections 7A, 12 and 13 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.
Investigation revealed that out of the “Grant for Excluded Areas” of around Rs. 28.66 crore received by the GHADC, Rs. 1 crore was allocated to the Asanang constituency for 49 development projects. In violation of the Meghalaya Financial Rules, 1981, an advance of 60% of the work value was released to two contractors, namely Kubon Sangma and Nikseng Sangma, against work orders allegedly obtained on the basis of forged signatures, even though the projects were never executed. The funds so released were thereafter siphoned off.
The ED investigation under PMLA has traced proceeds of crime worth Rs. 52.60 lakh being the funds 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 accounts of the contractors. The immovable property now attached 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(1A) of the PMLA, the freezing having been confirmed by the Adjudicating Authority. Searches in the matter were conducted on December 4, 2025.
