Jharkhand: ED arrests Ranchi businessman in money laundering case linked to land fraud

The Enforcement Directorate has arrested a Ranchi-based businessman in connection with its money laundering probe linked to an alleged land fraud case of Jharkhand in which it has nabbed a number of people, including IAS officer Chhavi Ranjan, official sources said on Tuesday.

Bishnu Agarwal was arrested on Monday night under the criminal sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

The businessman was called for questioning and recording of his statement following which he was arrested, the sources said.

The money laundering case stems from an FIR of the state police that was filed against one Pradip Bagchi, based on a complaint of the Ranchi Municipal Corporation.

The alleged fraud pertains to a "racket of land mafia" that is active in Jharkhand, which used to "forge the legacy records" in Kolkata and Ranchi, the ED had said. It alleged that based on the forged land records, land parcels were sold to other persons.

It said as many as 41 searches and five surveys were carried out by it as part of this investigation and its sleuths have seized "forged" seals of the land revenue department, land deeds, and records of distribution of the "proceeds of crime" apart from some photographs depicting this alleged forgery, "evidence" of giving bribe to government officials etc.

The agency had earlier arrested about 10 people, including 2011-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Ranjan, who earlier served as the director of the state social welfare department and as the deputy commissioner of Ranchi.

It also arrested an employee of the land revenue department, Bhanu Prasad Prasad, in the case.