CID opens fresh probe into event manager, accused in Zubeen Garg's death, over financial crimes

Guwahati, Sep 28 (PTI) A separate investigation was initiated by the Assam Police against event manager Shyamkanu Mahanta, an accused in singer Zubeen Garg's death, for his alleged involvement in organised financial crimes and acquiring properties by money laundering, official documents showed.

Shyamkanu is the younger brother of former DGP Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta, who is presently the chief information commissioner of the Assam State Information Commission. His another elder brother is Nani Gopal Mahanta, who was the education advisor to CM Himanta Biswa Sarma before becoming the vice chancellor of Gauhati University.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) seized bundles of "incriminating" documents and items from Shyamkanu's home during the raid on Thursday and Friday, the documents showed.

Among them were multiple PAN cards in the name of one firm, nearly 30 stamp seals of different companies and government officials, and documents related to several benami properties.

After the search, CID's Senior SP Ashif Ahmed filed a detailed FIR, a copy of which is with PTI, listing all the recoveries, requesting a separate probe into the alleged financial irregularities of Mahanta by attaching and freezing all his properties.

After receiving the complaint, the CID headquarters registered a case on Saturday night under multiple sections of the Bhartiya Nyay Sanhtia (BNS), and appointed Additional SP Moramee Das as the investigating officer.

The CID is currently probing Garg's death after more than 60 FIRs were lodged across the state against Mahanta, the main organiser of the Northeast India Festival in Singapore where the singer had gone to perform, and almost 10 others, including the icon's manager Siddharth Sharma.

"In the course of the search, several incriminating documents and articles were seized, which clearly point towards the commission of serious financial irregularities, forgery, and use of fraudulent means for unlawful financial gains," the CID FIR said.

From the search operation, the sleuths seized two PAN cards in the name of his event management company 'Trend MMS', bearing distinct PAN numbers, it said.

"The possession and use of multiple PAN cards in the name of the same entity prima facie establishes fraudulent intention and deliberate manipulation to conceal or project tainted money as untainted," it added.

Further, 28 stamp seals were recovered from the Mahanta's office premises. These included seals in the name of various companies and many government officials, according to the FIR.

"Such recovery strongly indicates the accused's involvement in forgery, impersonation, fabrication of official documents, and use of such forged instruments for financial transactions with the intent to cheat financial institutions, Government departments, and other stakeholders," it said.

"That the possession of multiple PAN cards and large numbers of forged seals prima facie reveals a well-structured conspiracy and organised financial crime, having cross-jurisdictional ramifications. The same amounts to creation and circulation of proceeds of crime, which squarely falls under the ambit of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002," it said.

Several documents were also recovered inside the residence and the office premises of Mahanta, pertaining to the construction of roads under the PMGSY scheme in various districts of Assam as well as in Arunachal Pradesh, it said.

"That in view of the above, it is humbly submitted that an independent investigation for misappropriation of government funds, cheating by forgery of government documents has been committed by Syam Kanu (sic) Mahanta and his associates and acquired huge properties out of the proceeds of crime," the FIR said.

It was requested to register the case on the charges of cheating, forgery, misappropriation of government funds and acquiring of "benami properties by laundering of money".

It was also urged to conduct a detailed financial investigation into Mahanta's assets, bank accounts, companies and transactions linked with the use of forged PAN cards and seals, attach and freeze his properties, accounts, and "proceeds of crime" identified during the course of the investigation, according to the FIR.

Subsequently, the CID headquarters registered the case and started a separate investigation.

DGP Harmeet Singh on Wednesday formed a nine-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe into the untimely death of Garg.

Garg died in Singapore on September 19 while swimming in the sea. He had gone to the Southeast Asian nation to attend the 4th edition of the NorthEast India Festival, organised by Mahanta's company. PTI TR TR SOM