Daijiworld Media Network- Ranchi

Ranchi, Apr 22: In a major crackdown, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday raided 16 locations across Bihar and Jharkhand as part of an ongoing investigation into a massive land scam involving 117 acres of forest land in Bokaro district.

The early morning operation covered areas in Ranchi, Bokaro, and Ramgarh in Jharkhand, as well as selected spots in Bihar. The searches were linked to an alleged money laundering case involving illegal land transfers and sale of forest land — a scam that has raised serious concerns over administrative integrity and misuse of public property.

Sources in the ED confirmed that the probe is being conducted under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), following findings from the Jharkhand CID which initially investigated the matter. According to the CID report, about 74.38 acres of forest land in Bokaro, originally under the Forest Department, were unlawfully allocated to a private entity with the involvement of administrative officers.

The CID’s probe also revealed that the land mafia, allegedly in connivance with a few Bokaro Steel Limited (BSL) officials, had tampered with crucial land records. It was noted that the disputed land was never formally transferred from BSL to the Forest Department, creating loopholes that were exploited for illicit transactions.

Following these findings, the ED was roped in to trace the money trail and identify the key players benefiting from the scam. Officials said that several individuals, including Forest Department staff and BSL personnel, are likely to be summoned for questioning.

The ED is now closely examining financial records to trace how the proceeds from the illegal land dealings were laundered and to uncover the extent of the scam.

The raids mark a significant step forward in what could be one of the largest land scams unearthed in the region in recent years.