New Delhi
The Supreme Court on Friday granted bail to suspended Jharkhand-cadre IAS officer Chhavi Ranjan, who has been in jail for over two years in connection with a money laundering case linked to the alleged Army land scam in Ranchi. A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi allowed Ranjan’s plea for bail, directing him not to leave the country without prior permission of the court and to cooperate fully with the investigating agencies.
Ranjan, a 2011-batch IAS officer, was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on May 4, 2023, under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). He had been in since then after both the special PMLA court and the Jharkhand High Court rejected his bail applications.
The ED has filed two money laundering cases against him. The first involves the alleged purchase and sale of about one acre of land on Cheshire Home Road in Ranchi using forged documents — in which the High Court had earlier granted him bail.
The second case pertains to the illegal transfer of around 4.5 acres of Army-occupied land in Bariatu, Ranchi, for which the Supreme Court has now extended relief.
According to the ED, Ranjan, during his tenure as Deputy Commissioner of Ranchi, played a central role in facilitating the illegal transfer of land by allegedly misusing his position and conspiring with land dealers and officials. The agency claims the proceeds from the transactions were laundered through multiple channels.
