Seizing whopping cash of Rs 11.64 crore, the federal probe agency, Enforcement Directorate, conducted searches against a few officials in connection with a money laundering case against Bihar IAS officer, Sanjeev Hans.
The raids were carried out at seven locations in Bihar’s capital, Patna, according to news agency PTI. According to officials, the raids targeted government officers and engineers accused of involvement in bribery.
The probe agency said in a statement that searches were carried out at the premises of Tarini Das, chief engineer of Bihar Construction Department (BCD); Mumukshu Chaudhary, joint secretary in Bihar government’s finance department; and Umesh Kumar Singh, executive engineer of Urban Development and Housing Dept. (UDHD).
The Enforcement Directorate also conducted searches against Ayaz Ahmed, Deputy Project Director of Bihar Urban Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd.; Sagar Jaiswal, DGM (Projects) of Bihar Medical Services and Infrastructure Corporation Ltd. (BMSICL); Vikash Jha, DGM of BMSICL; and Saket Kumar, Executive Engineer in the Bihar Construction Department (BCD).
It is reportedly said that these officials “received bribery money” in lieu of clearing bills in several tenders and “favourable” results.
In November last year, ED seized shares worth Rs 60 crore in newly opened demat accounts of the family members of one of the close associates of Sanjeev Hans as well as balances in 70 bank accounts being used to layer and launder funds illegally.
Earlier, ED’s Patna Zonal office had also conducted raids at 13 locations in Delhi, Gurgaon, Kolkata, Jaipur, and Nagpur in connection with the money laundering case against Sanjeev Hans and others. The searches were carried out at premises of close associates of Sanjeev Hans and other parties engaged in real estate and the service sector for their involvement in money laundering processes connected with the instant case.
