The Enforcement Directorate (ED), which has been conducting searches at various locations linked to government officers and businessmen in Chhattisgarh since the last two days, on Thursday launched a survey in the collectorate offices in Korba and Raigarh districts.
Separate teams of the anti-money laundering agency have been conducting the survey in the mining branch of the collectorate offices in Korba and Raigarh districts, officials said.
The search also covered District Mineral Foundation (DMF) and Tribal welfare department sections in Korba, they added.
Earlier in the day, the ED arrested Chhattisgarh cadre IAS officer Sameer Vishnoi and two other persons after it launched multi-city raids in the state on October 11 as part of a money laundering investigation, officials said.
Businessman Sunil Agrawal of Indermani group and Laxmikant Tiwari, uncle of "absconding" businessman Suryakant Tiwari, are two others who have been taken into custody in the morning by the federal agency, they said.
The three have been arrested under criminal sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and will be produced before a local court, where the ED will seek their further custody.
Vishnoi, an Indian Administrative Service officer of 2009 batch, is currently working as the CEO of the Chhattisgarh Infotech Promotion Society and ex officio special secretary of Electronics and Information Technology department.
He also holds additional charge of Managing Director of Chhattisgarh State Cooperative Marketing Federation (Markfed).
Laxmikant Tiwari, an advocate by profession from state's Mahasamund district, is uncle of the coal businessman Suryakant Tiwari, whose premises were also covered during searches. The ED also carried out searches at Laxmikant's residence in Mahasamund town.
Sunil Agrawal, Director of Indermani Group, which deals in coal trading, is said to be closely associated with Suryakant Tiwari. He has been in the coal business for over a decade and has links with senior politicians.
The money laundering case is linked to alleged illegal levy extorted from coal and mining transporters in the state by a purported nexus of government officials, businessmen and private entities.
The agency has also sealed the residence of IAS officer and Raigarh district Collector Ranu Sahu as she was not available during the raids that began on Tuesday. Sahu is understood to have informed the agency that she was undergoing a medical procedure and has assured cooperation in the investigation. Before Raigarh, Sahu served as Korba collector.
The ED sources, however, said the IAS officer of 2010 batch is yet to appear at the agency's office in Raipur "despite clear instructions" to do so.
The premises of another IAS officer J P Maurya, presently posted as the director of the mining department, was also covered in the searches by the ED. Maurya is the husband of Sahu.
The agency has also seized Rs 4 crore cash and jewellery during the latest searches. The money laundering case stems from a Income Tax Department complaint and charge sheet filed into these instances of alleged levy extortion.
In June-July this year, the Income Tax department raided a Chhattisgarh-based group engaged in coal transportation and linked businesses, including Suryakant Twari, and a senior state government officer.
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Wednesday hit out at the Centre over the ED raids, saying probe agencies should not be misused for political mileage or to defame the state government, its officials and politicians.
Former chief minister of the state and BJP leader Raman Singh also joined the issue on Wednesday saying (Baghel) is an 'ATM of Sonia Gandhi' and also claimed that an 'illegal levy' of Rs 25 per tonne is being collected for coal transportation in Chhattisgarh.
