Land scam case: ED conducts raids in multiple locations in Jharkhand

New Delhi, April 26 The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday was conducting raids at multiple locations in Jharkhand in connection with the fraudulent sale of land in possession of the Army in Ranchi.

According to information, a one-and-a-half acre land was sold by the accused on the basis of forged documents. Later it was learnt that a few more lands were also sold using the same modus operandi.

A source said that the premises belonging to contractor Bipin Singh and his aides were being raided.

The raids were going on at Ranchi's Khelgaon, Morabadi, Ashok Nagar, Booti Mor and two places in Jamshedpur.

Earlier, the ED had on April 13, conducted raids at 21 places belonging to IAS officer Chhavi Ranjan and 17 others. During the raids sale deeds, forged papers and incriminating documents were recovered. Later, seven persons were placed under arrest. On April 24, IAS Chhavi Ranjan was grilled by the ED for hours. Chhavi Ranjan has been again asked to appear before the ED on May 1.

The sources said that contractor Bipin was earlier located in Uttar Pradesh's Noida and after that a team was sent to his house there for search operations.

However, he got a whiff of the ED's action and his whole family fled from the house before the arrival of the ED team. They also took all the goods with them. After this, the ED called one Prabhat Pandey, a resident of Flat No 402, Morhabadi and sealed his flat.

Bipin has been asked to appear before ED's Delhi-based headquarters. It is learnt that Bipin was acting as a middleman in arranging the fake documents on the basis of which the Army lands were sold.

One Shekhar Kushwah, an alleged agent, is also on the radar of ED. His house located at Ranchi's Gadigaon was also being raided.