ED raids 13 locations in case against IAS officer Sanjeev Hans and others
New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): The Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted search operations at 13 locations in Delhi, Gurgaon, Kolkata, Jaipur and Nagpur in connection with the money laundering case against Bihar cadre IAS officer Sanjeev Hans and others, officials said. During the search which was carried out by ED’s Patna Zonal office on Tuesday, various incriminating documents, digital devices, shares worth Rs 60 crore, unexplained Forex worth Rs 16 lakh (approx.) and Rs 23 lakh (approx.) cash have been recovered and seized.
Sanjeev Hans and former RJD MLA Gulab Yadav have been arrested by the Enforcement Directorate as part of the same investigation. There are a total of 13 accused in the case, and only Yadav and Hans are among those apprehended so far. Earlier in September, the ED had carried out raids on the properties of Sanjeev Hans and seized cash and valuables worth crores of rupees.
The raids, conducted under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, took place on September 10, 11, and 12 at five locations, including Delhi, Mumbai, and Kolkata. During these operations, the ED seized cash, gold ornaments, and other valuables. According to the ED's statement, Sanjeev Hans is allegedly involved in money laundering and has been assisting in illegal financial activities. Further investigation also revealed his close association with certain private individuals, with whom he had financial dealings. These findings suggest a deeper network of financial transactions potentially linked to money laundering schemes.
“The agency conducted search operations at five locations across Delhi, Mumbai, and Kolkata on September 10, 11, and 12. During these raids, the agency seized substantial amounts of unexplained wealth, including cash Rs 87 lakh, 13 kg of silver bullion valued at approximately Rs 11 lakh, 2 kg of gold bullion and jewellery estimated at Rs 1.5 crore,” the ED had said. Along with these physical seizures, the ED uncovered incriminating digital and physical evidence, which included details of Hawala and other banking transactions. Various documents and digital records were also confiscated during the raid, pointing to possible financial misconduct.
Sanjeev Hans, a native of Punjab, is a divisional commissioner-ranked officer in Bihar and has held several high-level positions, including District Magistrate in various districts of Bihar.
