ED raids in Jkhand, West Bengal in money laundering case

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday raided a dozen locations in West Bengal and Jharkhand as part of a money laundering probe into alleged use of forged papers for sale of defence land in these states, officials said.

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

The ruling UPA in the state, however, decried the raids saying they were conducted only to topple the Hemant Soren government.

Some real estate dealers, private persons and linked entities were searched by ED teams, they said.

An ED official said employees working under Agarwal were also being questioned.

“At Agarwals office in Nonapukur in the southern part of Kolkata, two close associates of the businessperson 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 official said that searches were conducted at the office of another businessperson, who is closely associated with Agarwal, in the posh Salt Lake area.

“We started conducting raids from 6.40 am today. Searches are still underway. Our detectives are questioning employees of Agarwal inside his office. Some of our officers are looking for clues at Agarwals apartment and his high-end vehicle,” he told

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