Agartala, Aug. 1: The Directorate of Enforcement (ED), Agartala Sub-Zonal Office, has provisionally attached movable and immovable assets worth approximately ₹1.05 crore under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, in connection with an alleged illegal IPL and cricket betting syndicate operating in Tripura.
According to the ED, the attached assets include nine immovable properties and balances in multiple bank accounts held in the names of accused Laxman Paul and his wife Jhuma Dey Paul.
The money laundering investigation was initiated on the basis of an FIR registered by Amtali Police Station under various provisions of the Indian Penal Code, 1860, and the Tripura Gambling Act, 1926, against Prasenjit Paul and Laxman Paul.
The FIR stemmed from a police search conducted on May 11, 2023, at the residence of Prasenjit Paul, during which officials recovered ₹93 lakh in cash, a laptop, mobile phones, four debit cards, and 17 notebooks allegedly containing records of illegal betting transactions.
The ED’s investigation under the PMLA revealed that Prasenjit Paul, allegedly in collusion with his maternal uncle Laxman Paul and other associates, operated an organised cricket betting network involving IPL and other cricket matches. Investigators further alleged that Laxman Paul actively assisted in running the betting racket and helped Prasenjit evade arrest.
The probe also found that Laxman Paul, along with his wife, allegedly amassed substantial wealth, including multiple properties and significant cash deposits, despite having no documented or legitimate source of income. Several bank accounts were reportedly operated in the name of Jhuma Dey Paul and controlled by Laxman Paul.
This is the second Provisional Attachment Order issued by the ED in the case. Earlier, on March 16, 2026, the agency had attached properties belonging to Prasenjit Paul and his mother.
The latest attachment includes agricultural and residential land parcels in West Tripura, a property in Kolkata, West Bengal, reportedly acquired largely through cash transactions, along with bank balances linked to the accused.
With the latest action, the total value of proceeds of crime attached by the ED in the case has reached approximately ₹2.43 crore, including cash, bank balances, and immovable properties attached under both provisional orders. The Enforcement Directorate said that further investigation into the case is continuing.
