ED raids in Jharkhand, Bengal over defence land ‘sale’ on forged papers

The agency searched multiple places in Kolkata, including the premises linked to arrested businessman Amit Agarwal, and about eight locations in Ranchi and adjoining areas in Jharkhand.

The officials said that some real estate dealers, private persons and linked entities were searched by the ED teams.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday raided several locations in West Bengal and Jharkhand in connection with a money laundering investigation into use of forged papers for sale of defence land in the states.

The agency searched multiple places in Kolkata, including the premises linked to arrested businessman Amit Agarwal, and about eight locations in Ranchi and adjoining areas in Jharkhand.

Employees working under Agarwal were also being questioned, an ED official said. “At Agarwal’s office in Nonapukur in the south Kolkata, two close associates of the businessman were questioned for over an hour to find out if he has any other property in West Bengal apart from the places that we have raided,” he said.

The officials said that some real estate dealers, private persons and linked entities were searched by the ED teams.

The agency claims that a substantial portion of the proceeds of the crime from a mining scam in Jharkhand worth Rs 1000 crore was laundered through several Agrawal’s companies.

Agarwal was arrested by ED last month for conspiracy to “trap” Rajeev Kumar, a lawyer representing a petitioner against Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren.

Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram