Patna: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Saturday raided multiple locations of a businessman and a close aide of Bihar cadre IAS officer Sanjeev Hans as part of its money laundering investigation. The team searched four locations in Patna, Gaya and Bodh Gaya linked to Sunil Kumar Yadav, a former engineer of the Bihar Rajya Pul Nirman Nigam Limited (BRPNNL).
The locations included his residence in Patna’s Jagdeopath, a private office at Saguna Mor, his hotel near Mahabodhi Temple in Bodh Gaya and his residence in Gaya’s Godavari area. The ED officials arrived at the hotel around 11.30am and interrogated several employees and the hotel owner. According to sources, the search continued till late in the evening amid tight security.
The ED team seized some important documents related to the hotel and financial transactions. When Hans was the MD of the BRPNNL, Kumar colluded with him in several projects. The ED suspects that the illegal money earned by Hans was used in the immovable assets of Kumar.
The investigation also pointed to Kumar’s substantial business associations with the imprisoned owner of a private construction company, Suresh Prasad Singhla, and his son Varun Singhla. The ED searched different locations under the provision of PMLA.
The ED arrested Hans in this case from his residence in Patna on Oct 18, and former Rashtriya Janata Dal MLA Gulab Yadav was picked up from Delhi. The investigating team claimed that they have proof that the duo generated disproportionate assets by engaging in criminal activities and abusing their respective positions.