FIR lodged against IAS officer Abhishek Chandra over alleged Rs 14.55 crore fraud

Senior IAS officer Abhishek Chandra, who has been under compulsory waiting without any assignment for the last several years, found himself entangled in a fresh controversy after a Nagpur-based businessman lodged an FIR against him. Apart from Chandra, Sudip Paul, Krishna Chakraborty and Utpal Chaudhary have also been named in the FIR, which was registered at the New Capital Complex Police Station.
The complainant accused Chandra and the co-accused of criminal conspiracy, cheating, forgery and other relevant offences.
The complainant alleged that he and his associates were cheated of over Rs 14.55 crore through a fraudulent scheme pertaining to fake government tenders purportedly issued by the Directorate of Higher Education (DHE), Tripura.
According to a copy of the FIR accessed by this newspaper, the alleged fraud began in early 2024 when the complainant, representing Nagpur-based SK Sales Corporation, was introduced to IAS officer Abhishek Chandra through a mutual acquaintance. Chandra allegedly claimed to have authority over government tenders in Tripura and offered business opportunities in the supply of mid-day meals and other sectors.
The complainant alleged that, acting on these representations, the firm entered into a joint venture with Krishna Chakraborty in September 2024 to participate in the purported tenders.
The complaint stated that, on Chandra's instructions, the firm deposited earnest money deposits (EMDs) through multiple demand drafts in favour of the Directorate of Higher Education. It further alleged that a work order valued at Rs 2.56 crore was subsequently shown to the firm in order to collect additional payments. The total amount transferred between September 2024 and February 2025 allegedly stood at Rs 14,55,42,945.
The complaint also claimed that representatives of the firm visited Tripura on several occasions, where they were introduced to persons impersonating government officials and bankers. WhatsApp communications and certain RTGS transfers, including one described as a refund of an earlier EMD, were shown to win their trust.
However, the promised refunds and profits were not received despite repeated assurances. The complainant alleged that subsequent inquiries revealed that no such tenders or contracts had been issued by the Directorate of Higher Education and that the documents and work orders shown to the firm were forged.
Soon after the fraud allegations came to light, Leader of the Opposition and CPI(M) state secretary Jitendra Chaudhury launched a scathing attack on the government and described the case as the "tip of the iceberg".
"In the last 8.5 years, Tripura has emerged as a safe haven for corruption. In all departments, you will find allegations of embezzlement of public money. A few days back, an IFS officer ran away from the state who was also accused of corrupt practices. Police seized huge cash from the possession of his uncle. Till date, the police have failed to trace him. That is the sad reality of the state of affairs. It is a fact that an FIR has been lodged, but whether the accused persons will be brought to justice remains to be seen," said Chaudhury.
He also referred to the frequent seizure of huge consignments of narcotic substances and said, "In two phases, security agencies seized narcotic substances worth Rs 20 crore. I haven't seen the masterminds behind these organised rackets getting arrested. The government's failure to keep the system clean has once again been exposed by this FIR."