The Jharkhand High Court on Friday granted the Enforcement Directorate (ED) a four-week period to file a response to a petition by former Ranchi Deputy Commissioner Chhavi Ranjan, who has challenged his ongoing detention. The directive comes amidst allegations of money laundering and illegal land transactions involving high-value properties in Ranchi.
Chhavi Ranjan, a 2011 batch IAS officer, was arrested by the ED following a series of raids in Ranchi on May 4, last year. He is accused of playing a crucial role in the unauthorized sale of approximately 4.55 acres of army land in the Bariatu area of Ranchi. The case also implicates ten other individuals, including businessman Amit Kumar Agarwal, linking them to a broader network involving the land mafia and corrupt builders.
The contention raised by Ranjan in the high court challenges the order of cognizance taken against him by the Special Prevention of Money Laundering Act Court, Ranchi. He argues against the legality of his detention, which has been in effect since his arrest last year.
The Supreme Court had previously dismissed Ranjan’s bail plea in July, reinforcing the severity of the allegations against him. In addition to the Bariatu case, the ED’s investigation has revealed further questionable land deals involving three parcels of land located at Cheshire Home Road, Pugru, and Siram in Ranchi, valued collectively at Rs 161.64 crore. These lands were reportedly mutated fraudulently in favor of the land mafia, facilitated by collusion with officials from the land revenue department.
