The Prevention of Money Laundering Act special court in the Jharkhand capital today sent state social welfare director Chhavi Ranjan to Birsa Munda Central Jail. The PMLA court took the decision after the Directorate of Enforcement team produced Ranjan before the special court after his proper medical examination at Sadar Hospital and getting a favourable report of his health condition.
The 2011 batch IAS officer landed in trouble due to his act and omissions while working as Ranchi deputy commissioner. The probe agency prayed for a 10-day remand but the court deferred hearing in the matter till tomorrow. Earlier, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday (May 4) night 2011-batch IAS officer Chhavi Ranjan for his role in allegedly illegal land deals.
Ranjan, who was currently serving as the Director of Social Welfare, is the second Jharkhand-cadre IAS officer arrested by ED within a year. On May 11 last year, the 2000-batch IAS officer Pooja Singhal was arrested in the MGNREGA scam in Kunti district of Jharkhand while she was posted as the Deputy Commissioner of Khunti in the year 2008-09.
Before his arrest Ranjan was questioned twice by the ED on April 13 and April 24. He is accused of illegal purchase and sale of land owned by the Indian Army in Ranchi during his posting as Deputy Commissioner there, said sources. ED officials took the action after they concluded that the IAS officer masterminded a land scam in Ranchi using his official position and influence.
ED sources reveal that then Deputy Commissioner Chhavi Ranjan had conspired with power broker Prem Prakash and businessman Amit Kumar Agrawal to transfer 4.55 acres of Army land in Ranchi to M/s Jagatbandhu Tea Estate Pvt. Ltd.
ED sources said that the defence land originally belonged to one BM Laxman Rao, who had handed it over to the Army after independence. The syndicate forged the document and one Pradeep Bagchi, one of the persons arrested, was made as the fake owner. The land was then sold to a West Bengal-based company Jagatbandhu Tea Estate Pvt Limited.
The conspiracy was hatched by accused persons namely Afshar Ali, Pradip Bagchi, Chhavi Ranjan, Prem Prakash and Amit Kumar Agarwal and others. During the ED investigation, a similar nature of forgery in registration of another property having area about 7.16 acres in Hehal, Ranchi was committed. On the basis of a fake deed the above land was mutated in the name of one Binod Singh. Investigation reveals that the said Binod Singh is a dummy owner who was under influence of some brokers. Immediately after mutation, the above property was registered in the name of Shyam Singh and Ravi Singh Bhatia for a consideration amount of approximately Rs. 15,10,76,000 although the government value of this property was Rs. 29,88,93,800.
Sources said that many persons are on the radar of ED which includes government officials and even businessmen.