Overview
- Search-and-seizure operations were conducted by the ED’s Raipur zonal office at nine sites in Raipur and Mahasamund.
- The action targets premises linked to land broker Harmeet (Harmit) Singh Khanuja, his associates, certain officials, and several landowners.
- Investigators are examining suspected inflation, misappropriation, or diversion of land acquisition payouts for the Bharatmala corridor under the PMLA.
- The state ACB/EOW earlier arrested brokers including Uma and Kedar Tiwari and later detained Khanuja, then filed an October chargesheet against 10 accused alleging about Rs 32 crore embezzled.
- EOW officials have cited forged and backdated records that allegedly triggered excess payments, including an example of Rs 28 crore in one village and a Rs 2 crore payout to a broker, while today’s ED searches have not yielded announced arrests.