New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday arrested senior officials in Chhattisgarh government including an IAS officer, a day after major raids at multiple locations in the state.
The probe agency has also impounded Rs 4 crore cash & jewellery during the recent searches. The ED had launched money laundering probe over and Income Tax Department complaint against them.
The ED officials started conducted searches at residence & offices of senior government officials, considered close to Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel in connection with alleged Disproportionate Assets (DA) case.
The probe agency has arrested IAS officer Sameer Vishnoi, after hours of questioning in the DA case and alleged money laundering. Two others who have been held are businessmen Sunil Agarwal of Indramani Group and Laxmikant Tiwari, uncle of absconding businessman Suryakant Tiwari.
All the 3 have been apprehended under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and are set to be produced in a local court. The agency will seek their custody for further interrogation.
Sameer Vishnoi, a 2009 batch IAS officer is currently working as CEO of the Chhattisgarh Infotech Promotion Society. He was questioned by the sleuths at its Raipur office on Wednesday.
Senior IAS officer & Raigarh district collector Ranu Sahu is also under the scanner of ED. His residence has been sealed as he wasn’t available during the searches by ED team.
The case pertains to ‘illegal levy’ extorted from transporters by purported nexus of govt officials, businessmen and private entities.
Meanwhile, Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel lashed out at the Centre and claimed that Centre was misusing the agencies for taking political mileage and sullying the state government.