ED recovers Rs 67 lakh cash, 37 kg silver in corruption case linked to Visakhapatnam project

Raipur, April 28 Enforcement Directorate’s Raipur Zonal Office has intensified its crackdown on corruption linked to the Raipur–Visakhapatnam Highway Project under the Bharatmala Scheme.

In a press release dated April 28, the agency confirmed that search operations were carried out under Section 17 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002, at eight premises across Abhanpur, Raipur, Dhamtari and Kurud in Chhattisgarh.

The searches led to the seizure of Indian currency worth Rs 66.9 lakh, silver bricks and other silver items weighing 37.13 kilograms, digital devices and incriminating documents.

The investigation stems from an FIR registered by the Anti-Corruption Bureau and Economic Offences Wing, Raipur, against Nirbhay Sahu, the then Sub-Divisional Officer (Revenue) of Abhanpur, and several others.

The FIR alleged that illegal compensation was obtained through collusion with government officials by falsifying and manipulating land records related to acquisition for the highway project.

According to the ED, the accused, in conspiracy with certain public servants, fraudulently secured excess compensation by transferring ownership of land even after the issuance of notification under Section 3A of the National Highways Act, 1956, by NHAI Raipur.

Further manipulation was carried out by creating multiple smaller land holdings prior to notification under Section 3D. Compensation was sanctioned and disbursed based on modified and manipulated Khasra records, resulting in inflated payments.

The agency has stated that the excess compensation amounts to proceeds of crime, causing wrongful loss to the government and unlawful gain to the accused.

The seizure of cash, silver and documents is seen as a significant step in establishing the trail of illicit financial transactions. The operation highlights how systemic manipulation of land records can be exploited to siphon off public funds meant for infrastructure development.

The Raipur–Visakhapatnam Highway Project, a crucial part of the Bharatmala Scheme, was envisioned to improve connectivity and boost economic activity across regions. However, the exposure of fraudulent practices in land acquisition has cast a shadow over the integrity of the process.

The ED has made it clear that further investigation is underway, signalling that more revelations and possible arrests could follow as the probe deepens.

This case underscores the growing vigilance of enforcement agencies against corruption in large-scale infrastructure projects and reflects the government’s resolve to curb financial misconduct that undermines public interest.

Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor