Agartala, 1st August 2026: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has provisionally attached assets valued at around Rs 1.05 crore in connection with an alleged illegal IPL and cricket betting network operating in Tripura. The action was taken by the Agartala Sub-Zonal Office under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.
The attachment was carried out through a Provisional Attachment Order issued on July 31, 2026. According to the ED, the seized assets include nine immovable properties along with funds lying in multiple bank accounts linked to accused Prasenjit Paul, his alleged associate Laxman Paul, and their family members.
The money laundering probe was initiated based on an FIR registered at Amtali Police Station under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Tripura Gambling Act, 1926. The case relates to a police operation conducted on May 11, 2023, when authorities allegedly recovered Rs 93 lakh in cash, electronic devices, debit cards, and several notebooks containing suspected betting records from Prasenjit Paul’s residence.
During the investigation, the ED claimed that Prasenjit Paul was operating an organised betting syndicate involving IPL and other cricket matches with the assistance of Laxman Paul and other individuals. The agency alleged that Laxman Paul played a key role in facilitating the operations and helping evade law enforcement action.
The probe further revealed that several bank accounts and properties were allegedly maintained or acquired in the names of Laxman Paul and his wife, Jhuma Dey Paul, despite the absence of any established legal source of income, the ED claimed.
The attached properties reportedly include agricultural and residential plots in West Tripura along with a property in Kolkata, West Bengal. The agency stated that many of these assets were allegedly purchased through cash transactions and were linked to proceeds generated from illegal betting activities.
This marks the second attachment order in the case. Earlier, on March 16, 2026, the ED had attached properties belonging to Prasenjit Paul and his mother.
Following the latest action, the total value of assets attached in the money laundering investigation has increased to approximately Rs 2.43 crore, including cash, immovable properties, and bank deposits.The ED said that further investigation into the alleged betting-related money laundering network is continuing.
