Power as a weapon
With the first phase of the Jharkhand assembly election over yesterday and the Maharashtra polls scheduled for November 20, a scrutiny of candidates’ affidavits has once again sparked public interest.
The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) arrested Ranchi-based businessman Bishnu Kumar Agrawal on Monday after questioning him for about six and half hours in the Ranchi land scam case.
ED officials said, “ED arrested Ranchi-based businessman Bishnu Kumar Agrawal at around 10.30 pm today after questioning him for about 6:30 hours in the Ranchi land scam case.” As of now, a total of 13 people including IAS Chhavi Ranjan have been arrested in the case.
Earlier ED questioned Ranchi-based businessman Vishnu Agrawal in connection with a land scam case in which Jharkhand cadre (IAS) Chhavi Ranjan had been arrested.
Ranjan was arrested on May 6 by the investigation agency in a case related to illegally grabbing and selling land. Following his arrest, the Jharkhand government suspended Ranjan from his position as Director of the Social Welfare Department, Jharkhand.
According to the ED, there is a nexus operating in this case that had allegedly sold multiple plots by forging documents. Even the rightful owners are unaware that their plots have been sold, ED sources said.
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In this connection, the ED had also conducted raids at multiple locations in West Bengal, Bihar, and Jharkhand, including his residence in Ranchi. According to sources the IAS officer, while serving as the deputy commissioner of Ranchi and allegedly used the Kolkata registry office for forgery in the alleged land scam case.
These scams were allegedly done during the tenure of Ranjan as the deputy commissioner of Ranchi.
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