The Central probe agency-Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday evening began search operations in two locations Ayodhyapuri and Piska More. Sources said that the raids were being conducted in connection with a tender scam related to the Rural Development Department.

At the time of filing of the report the agency sleuths were conducting search operations on the two locations.

Meanwhile, after interrogating IAS officer Manish Ranjan for more than eight hours ED has summoned him again on June 3 with more documents.

Ranjan is a former secretary of the Rural Development department. He is currently the secretary of the Land, Road and Building department was asked to depose before the federal agency at its zonal office here on May 28. He appeared at the ED office and answered questions relating to the money laundering scam. But the ED, unsatisfied with answers, has asked him to appear again on June 3.

The summons is linked to the ED investigation in which Congress leader and state Rural Development minister Alamgir Alam, his former personal secretary Sanjeev Kumar Lal and the latter's domestic help Jahangir Alam were arrested early this month.
The agency had claimed to have recovered more than Rs 32 crore from a place where Jahangir Alam was residing. The total cash seizure in this case is Rs 37.5 crore. The probe pertains to alleged irregularities and bribes exchanged between officials a...

The probe pertains to alleged irregularities and bribes exchanged between officials and others from contractors working in the state rural development department.
Responding to the summon issued by the Enforcement Directorate, Senior IAS officer Manish Ranjan on Tuesday appeared before its regional office in Ranchi. 

While sleuths of the central agency were questioning him about his alleged role in “transaction and exchange of bribe sums”, Manish Ranjan “looked the other way and kept mum”, it is learnt. 

“He appeared to be either mum or looked as if he is playing a smart -don’t -know game in response to most of our questions”, said a verbal report on the ED’s grilling of Manish Ranjan on May 28. 

Ranjan was summoned by the ED for questioning in a money laundering case in which the agency had recently arrested Jharkhand Rural Development minister Alamgir Alam. 

The summons are linked to the ED investigation resulting in the arrest of Congress leader and state Rural Development minister Alamgir Alam, his former personal secretary Sanjeev Kumar Lal and the latter's domestic help Jahangir Alam early this month. 

The agency had claimed to have recovered more than Rs 32 crore from a place where Jahangir Alam was residing. The total cash seizure in this case was Rs 37.5 crore. 

The probe pertains to alleged irregularities and bribes exchanged between officials including Manish Ranjan as Principal Secretary, Rural Development Department and its Minister Alamgir Alam and others from contractors working in their department.