Ranchi (IANS): The Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) Ranchi Zonal Office filed a Prosecution Complaint (PC) against Santosh Kumar, his wife Lalita Sinha, and a shell firm, M/s Rockdrill Constructions (OPC) Private Limited. The agency submitted the complaint to the special PMLA court under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) regarding the fraudulent embezzlement of government funds.
The case involves financial irregularities in the Drinking Water and Sanitation Department (DWSD), Swarnarekha Head Works Division, Ranchi. The ED launched its investigation following an FIR and charge sheet from the Jharkhand Police.
The probe reveals that Santosh Kumar allegedly abused his position as a cashier-cum-upper division clerk to siphon approximately ₹22.86 crore from the Government Treasury. While local police initially estimated a smaller fraud, the ED’s investigation uncovered a much larger financial crime.
According to officials, the accused used a systematic modus operandi to divert funds through fraudulent payee IDs and dormant Drawing and Disbursing Officer (DDO) codes. These methods facilitated unauthorized transfers and hid the trail of illicit transactions.
The ED noted that the accused layered the proceeds of crime into the legitimate economy by purchasing high-value assets. These investments included a land plot in Ranchi’s Ratu registered to Kumar’s sister and a Toyota Innova Crysta booked in his wife’s name.
Investigators also discovered that Kumar invested substantial amounts in jewelry worth over ₹1.78 crore, more than 25 mutual fund schemes, and multiple fixed deposits. During the investigation, the ED searched 26 premises, seizing ₹55.08 lakh in unaccounted cash and incriminating documents.
The Adjudicating Authority under PMLA has already confirmed the provisional attachment of properties worth approximately ₹2.18 crore. The ED continues its investigation into the matter.
