The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has seized about Rs 4 crore worth of cash and jewellery during searches at several locations linked to government officers and businessmen in Chhattisgarh in connection with a money laundering case.
The seizures have been made from both the government officers and private entities raided, agency sources said. The ED action pertains to a money laundering investigation into alleged illegal levy commissions sourced by certain entities from transporters in Chhattisgarh, the sources said.
The federal agency has taken cognisance of an Income Tax Department complaint and charge sheet to file a case under the criminal sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), they said.
According to sources, separate teams of the ED have been conducting raids in state capital Raipur, Raigarh, Mahasamund, Korba and other districts since Tuesday. Multiple teams of the agency escorted by central paramilitary forces personnel were part of the raids.
The searches covered premises of three Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers, including a district collector, businessman, including Suryakant Tiwari, and politicians of the ruling party, including former MLA and chairman of state's seeds development corporation Agni Chandrakar, the sources said.
Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel had termed the raids as an "act of intimidation".
The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is not able to fight directly, hence it is trying to fight through the ED, Income Tax (I-T) department and the Department of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Baghel told reporters here.
"I have already said that they will come again and it's not the last time. Their visits will increase as the election approaches. This is just an act of intimidation and nothing else," he said.
(With PTI Inputs)
