ED searches seven locations in Jharkhand Odisha in Jharkhand State Cooperative Bank scam case

Ranchi Sep 18 IANS The Enforcement Directorates ED Ranchi Zonal Office conducted search and seizure operations at seven locations in Jharkhand and Odisha in connection with its money laundering investigation into the alleged Jharkhand State Cooperative Bank scam the agency said on FridaynbspThe searches carried out under Section 17 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act PMLA were part of its ongoing probe into what it described as a largescale fraud allegedly perpetrated against the banks Seraikela branchAccording to the ED businessman Sanjay Kumar Dalmia allegedly carried out the fraud in connivance with then officials of the JSCB The agencys search operation covers premises linked to the ongoing investigation into the alleged financial irregularities and suspected proceeds of crime arising from the caseED Ranchi is conducting search and seizure action us 17 of PMLA in the case of the Jharkhand State Cooperative Bank Scam at a total of 7 locations in Jharkhand and Odisha the agency statement saidThe agencys latest action comes amid several ongoing investigations being handled by its Ranchi Zonal Office into alleged financial crimes and money laundering in Jharkhand The ED is empowered under the PMLA to conduct searches and seize material relevant to its investigationnbspFurther details regarding the material recovered during the searches were not immediately availableThe ED had also conducted searches in several states in connection with its probe into the petrol bomb attack on the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh RSS office in Ranchi in June this yearThe agency had carried out simultaneous searches at four locations in Delhi Bihar Jharkhand and Karnataka as part of its investigation into suspected money laundering and financial transactions allegedly linked to the case The probe was connected to a case registered by the National Investigation Agency NIA according to officialsDuring those searches ED teams examined documents digital devices and other material relating to allegedly suspicious financial transactions The agency was also examining whether illegal funding or moneylaundering channels were used in the planning or execution of the attackThe petrol bomb attack took place on the night of June 16 when petrol bombs were hurled at the RSS provincial headquarters in Ranchis Nivaranpur area The NIA registered a case in connection with the incident under RC012026NIARNC IANSnbsp