ED raids 9 locations in Ranchi, Delhi in connection with Jharkhand land scam

The Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday carried out searches at nine locations -- three in Delhi and six in Ranchi -- in connection with a money laundering probe into a land scam of Jharkhand’s Ranchi district.

The case, registered under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), pertains to alleged large-scale irregularities in land transactions in the Kanke block of Ranchi.

As per officials, investigators have found that the accused, led by Kamlesh Kumar and his associates, conspired with local Circle Officers to forge land records. The forged documents were allegedly used to sell parcels of land, generating substantial proceeds of crime.

Tuesday’s searches primarily targeted premises linked to one BK Singh, described as a key associate of Kamlesh Kumar, along with properties of other connected individuals.

According to officials, the raids are aimed at gathering documentary and digital evidence to establish the trail of money and identify the ultimate beneficiaries of the scam.

The ED had initiated its probe on the basis of inputs suggesting that government officials and private individuals colluded to manipulate land records, leading to the illegal sale of plots in the Kanke block.