The Special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court in Ranchi today sent land dealer Kamlesh Kumar to judicial custody after his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday. The ED will submit a request for his remand on Monday, with the court scheduled to hear the matter the same day. Until then, Kumar will remain in the Birsa Munda Central Jail.
Kumar is accused of accumulating huge wealth through fraudulent land transactions over the past decade. It has been reported that many individuals arrested in connection with the land scam have implicated Kumar, particularly concerning the land near Kanke.
The ED had arrested Kamlesh on Friday after interrogating him for over six hours at its Zonal office in Ranchi. Sources said that Kamlesh was taken into custody at 8 p.m. for providing unsatisfactory responses regarding an alleged scam involving the transaction of a large piece of land in the Kanke area of Ranchi.
Kamlesh had previously ignored at least five ED summonses before finally appearing for questioning on Friday.
On June 21, the ED conducted raids at various locations associated with Kamlesh, seizing more than Rs 1 crore in cash and 100 live cartridges. Additionally, the agency found several incriminating documents at his residence in Astor Green and other locations in Ranchi.
Following the raid, the ED sent a letter to the Director General of Police, calling for action on the case, and a case was filed against Kamlesh under the Arms Act at the Kanke police station in Ranchi.
Kamlesh is accused of using fake documents to acquire land worth several crores and amassing significant property over the past decade. Sources suggest that he operated under the protection of high-ranking officials in both the administration and police.
Another land dealer Shekhar Kushwaha, who was arrested by the ED on June 12 and is connected to a syndicate involved in land grabbing using forged documents, provided information implicating Kamlesh in the acquisition of land at various locations in the Birsa Agricultural University Kanke area.
Kumar previously worked as a photographer for a local newspaper in Ranchi. Over time, he became involved in the land business, acquiring interests in several disputed properties, sources said.
ED has till date arrested over a dozen people in different land scam cases in Ranchi including IAS officer Chhavi Ranjan and politicians.