Probe Agency Conducts Raids In Money Laundering Case Against Ex IAS Officer In Assam

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is conducting search operations at eight locations across Assam today in connection with a money laundering case involving retired IAS officer Smt. Sewali Devi Sharma and others.

Sewali Devi Sharma, who served as the Executive Chairman-cum-Director of the Open and Distance Learning (ODL) Cell of the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT), is accused of large-scale financial irregularities while implementing the National Council for Teacher Education's (NCTE) two-year Diploma in Elementary Education (D.El.Ed.) programme through distance mode.

The Government of Assam had approved the programme for 59 recognized institutions with a total enrolment capacity of 27,897 government teachers. However, in violation of this approval, Sharma allegedly established 347 study centres and enrolled 1,06,828 trainees-nearly four times the permitted number-primarily to collect excess funds.

Investigations have revealed that she opened five unauthorized bank accounts for the ODL Cell, where she was the sole signatory. In a blatant breach of the Assam Financial Responsibility and Budget Management Act, 2005, Sharma allegedly diverted over Rs 115 crore received as fees from trainees into these accounts instead of depositing them in the government treasury.

The ED suspects that more than Rs 105 crore was spent without following financial delegation rules, tendering procedures, or verifying supply and execution of works. Contracts were allegedly handed out to firms owned by close relatives-including her daughter and son-in-law-as well as associates like Sarang More, the ODL Cell's Chartered Accountant, without any competitive bidding process.

Most of these entities reportedly lacked prior experience, and payments were made without proper documentation or verification.

Initial police inquiry has indicated that Sharma may have amassed disproportionate assets worth over Rs 5.7 crore during the period under investigation.

The ED searches are currently underway as part of efforts to trace the proceeds of crime and identify other beneficiaries involved in the alleged scam.