GG News Bureau
Ranchi, 14th Oct. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday carried out searches across 23 locations in Jharkhand, targeting a senior IAS officer, associates of a cabinet minister, and other individuals as part of a multi-crore money laundering investigation. The probe centers around alleged irregularities in the water and sanitation department, coinciding with the upcoming state assembly elections.
The searches, conducted in Ranchi and Chaibasa, focused on illegal commission payments in contracts under the Jal Jeevan Mission scheme, with officials alleging that a 10 percent kickback was shared among politicians, bureaucrats, and department officials. Premises connected to Manish Ranjan, a secretary-level IAS officer, Harendra Singh, an aide of Drinking Water and Sanitation Minister Mithilesh Kumar Thakur, and Thakur’s brother Vinay Thakur, among others, were raided.
Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren dismissed the raids as expected, attributing them to the upcoming elections. He pointed to the presence of BJP leaders like Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma, accusing them of targeting his government over alleged corruption. Meanwhile, Minister Thakur described the ED’s actions as “politically motivated” and accused the central government of pressuring him to join the BJP.
The case stems from a December 2023 FIR filed by Jharkhand Police, alleging that Santosh Kumar, a former government clerk, embezzled over ₹2.7 crore using fake billing. The ED suspects broader systemic corruption involving a 10 percent commission scheme for awarding tenders. As the state awaits the announcement of elections, Thakur has challenged the ED to disclose any recoveries from the searches.
