Gangtok, Mar 8 (Reporter) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has attached movable and immovable properties worth Rs. 65.46 crore belonged to State Bank Of Sikkim's former General Manager (Operation) Dorjee Tsering Lepcha in connection with the alleged misappropriation and laundering of funds from the SBS, official sources said. The attached properties include 4 immovable properties comprising residential buildings and land parcels located at Deorali, Syari, Ranipool, first three near Gangtok and Penlong in East Sikkim. " These properties were found to have been acquired using Proceeds of Crime (POC) derived from the fraudulent siphoning of funds from SBS," the ED said in a statement. In addition to immovable properties, bank balances and fixed deposits in the names of Dorjee Tshering Lepcha and his family members,totalling approximately Rs. 53.41 crore have also been attached, the ED's Gangtok Zonal office said. The federal agency initiated investigation under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, in connection with the misappropriation and laundering of funds from the SBS, based on an FIR registered by CID-PS, Gangtok under various sections of the IPC, 1860, and the Information Technology Act, 2000. The investigation was later transferred to Sikkim Vigilance Police. The ED's investigation revealed that Dorjee Tshering Lepcha, while serving as General Manager (Operations) at the State Bank of Sikkim orchestrated a large-scale fraud involving the creation of a fraudulent bank account in the name of "AE Roads and Bridges Department, Government of Sikkim." Funds were fraudulently credited to this account through manipulation of General Ledger (GL) accounts maintained by SBS for Central Bank of India (CBI)and State Bank of India (SBI) transactions. These funds were subsequently diverted to personal accounts held by Dorjee Tshering Lepcha, his wife, and other family members and associates. The investigation also uncovered manipulation of fixed deposits to enhance interest earnings fraudulently. Further, searches were conducted by ED on February 14 at multiple premises linked to Dorjee Tshering Lepcha. During the searches, incriminating documents related to various property purchases were seized, and approximately Rs. 75 lakh was frozen from various bank accounts linked to Lepcha. The ED said the investigation was in progress...////...