The arrests came after the ED conducted multi-city searches in Chhattisgarh earlier this week in connection with a money laundering investigation.
Digital Desk: As per authorities, the Enforcement Directorate arrested Chhattisgarh cadre IAS officer Sameer Vishnoi and two others on Thursday after conducting multi-city raids in the state earlier this week as part of a money laundering inquiry.
Sunil Agrawal of the Indramani group and Laxmikant Tiwari, uncle of "absconding" businessman Suryakant Tiwari, were also apprehended by the federal agency in the morning from the state capital Raipur, they added.
The three people were arrested under criminal provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and will be brought before a local court, where the ED will seek additional custody.
Mr Vishnoi, a 2009 batch Indian Administrative Service officer, is the CEO of the Chhattisgarh Infotech Promotion Society. On Wednesday, he and a few others were questioned by the agency at its Raipur office.
The arrests came after the agency conducted various searches in Chhattisgarh on October 11 in connection with an alleged unlawful tax extorted from the state's coal and mining transporters by a putative nexus of government officials, businesses, and private companies.
The agency has also sealed the residence of IAS officer and Raigarh district Collector Ranu Sahu, who was not present during the Tuesday raids.
As per ED sources, the IAS officer of the 2010 batch has yet to appear at the agency's Raipur headquarters "despite unambiguous directives" to do so.
During the most recent raids, the agency also seized $4 million in cash and jewellery. The money laundering case comes from an Income Tax Department complaint and charge sheet submitted in these cases of alleged levy extortion.
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel slammed the Centre over the ED raids on Wednesday, saying the inquiry agencies should not be "misused" for political gain or to slander the state government, its personnel, and politicians.
Raman Singh, a former chief minister of the state and prominent member of the BJP, claimed on Wednesday that Mr. Baghel is a "ATM of Sonia Gandhi" and that a "illegal fee" of $25 per tonne is being imposed in Chhattisgarh on the transportation of coal.
Mr. Baghel has asked Mr. Singh to withdraw the remarks.
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