RANCHI: The Enforcement Directorate on Friday raided locations of land dealer Kamlesh Kumar and recovered more than Rs 1 crore in cash besides 100 live cartridges. According to ED sources, several other incriminating documents have also been recovered from his Astor Green apartment and other locations in Ranchi.
The raids continued till late in the evening when the report was being filed. Despite being summoned, by the ED, Kamlesh failed to appear before it following which, the raids were conducted, the sources said. The raids are related to the money laundering case linked to the land scam case involving former chief minister Hemant Soren.
Kamlesh is accused of creating fake documents to acquire land worth several crores and has acquired huge property during the past 10 years. The sources revealed that Kamlesh was operating under the protection of many senior officials in the administration and police as well.
Apparently, the ED is conducting the raids on inputs given by Shekhar Kushwaha, who was arrested earlier in the case on June 12. Kushwaha was the 22nd accused arrested in the scam.
The probe agency also found Kushwaha’s involvement in the purchase and sale of 4.83 acres of land of Gadi Mauja of Bargain with fake documents.
This is not the first time that Kamlesh has come under the radar of investigation agencies. In October 2021 also, he was accused of making attempts to forcibly acquire tribal land in Nagri and grabbing 20.59 acres of land belonging to Central Law University in Kanke and a land piece near the Jumaar river in Ranchi by forgery.
The probe against Soren pertains to an 8.86-acre plot of land in Ranchi that the ED alleged was illegally acquired by him.