J'khand HC grants time to ED for filing response in case related to ex-DC's detention

Ranchi, Jan 3 (PTI) The Jharkhand High Court on Friday directed the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to file its response to a petition filed by former Ranchi Deputy Commissioner Chhavi Ranjan challenging his detention.

The high court gave four weeks to the central agency to file an affidavit.

Ranjan has moved the court, challenging the order of cognisance taken against him by the Special Prevention of Money Laundering Act, Court, Ranchi.

The 2011 batch IAS officer, who was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate after several raids were conducted in the state capital on May 4 last year, is alleged to have been instrumental in the sale of army land measuring 4.55 acres in Ranchi’s Bariatu area.

Ranjan has also challenged his detention in jail by the ED since that day. Besides Ranjan, 10 other persons have been accused in the case, including businessman Amit Kumar Agarwal.

Ranjan is accused of money laundering and being hand-in gloves with some builders and the land mafia.

He has also been accused of bungling land documents and records to suit some builders imploring them to buy government lands.

The Supreme Court in July last year dismissed Ranjan's bail plea in the case.

Three land parcels at Cheshire Home Road, Pugru and Siram, all in Ranchi, with a commercial value of Rs 161.64 crore, have been provisionally attached under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the ED had said.

According to the agency, these land parcels were "mutated fraudulently in favour of land mafia in connivance with the officers of the land revenue department".

The ED has alleged that a "huge racket of illegal change of ownership of land by mafia was going on in Jharkhand".

The agency has arrested 14 people in the case. PTI COR NAM NN

Source: PTI