ED Raids Builder, Jeweller Premises in Chhattisgarh Over Bharatmala Links

Enforcement Directorate teams conducted early morning searches at multiple locations in Durg-Bhilai and Bilaspur on Thursday, targeting properties linked to a prominent builder-politician and a leading sarrafa businessman in connection with the ongoing probe into alleged irregularities in land compensation under the Bharatmala project.

The action, which began in the early hours, focused on financial records, property documents, and investment details at the residences and offices of those under scrutiny. Officials were seen carrying out detailed examination of papers related to several firms.

Searches in Durg-Bhilai

Teams from the Enforcement Directorate zeroed in on the premises of Chaturbhuj Rathi, director of Amar Infra (also referred to as Amar Builders), a known name in the construction sector and a BJP functionary. Raids took place at his residence and office in Durg, where officers spent hours scrutinising records of nearly half a dozen associated companies.

Local sources said the teams were particularly examining land-related transactions and investments. A separate team also visited the factory and residence of Govind Mandal in Bhilai as part of the same operation. The activity continued through the morning, with officials documenting various files.

Action in Bilaspur

In Bilaspur, a larger contingent of over 10 ED officials targeted the home and business establishment of Vivek Agrawal, a prominent jeweller running Shri Ram Jewellers in the Sadar Bazaar area. The searches are understood to be linked to financial trails connected to his brother, Vikas Agrawal, who is wanted in a separate liquor scam case and reportedly close to certain political figures.

Investigators are examining possible syndicate connections and fund movements that may overlap with the larger land compensation probe. The operation in Bilaspur appeared focused on tracing assets and transactions that could have links to the main case.

Background of the Bharatmala Compensation Probe

The current raids form part of the Enforcement Directorate’s money laundering investigation stemming from alleged irregularities in compensation payments for land acquired under the Bharatmala Pariyojana, particularly stretches of the Raipur-Visakhapatnam economic corridor.

Earlier probes by the state’s Economic Offences Wing (EOW) had flagged manipulation of revenue records, including backdated mutations, partitions, and inflated claims in several villages. Patwaris and Revenue Inspectors allegedly prepared cases that were forwarded to collectors, leading to disbursement of compensation that raised red flags.

In some instances, land was reportedly purchased in the names of relatives of influential people shortly before acquisition notifications, allowing them to claim higher payouts. The EOW has already filed a chargesheet in a related matter involving around Rs 32 crore in alleged embezzlement and arrested several revenue officials, including a former SDM.

Political Names and Official Scrutiny

The scandal has drawn in names from both BJP and Congress circles, with reports of former ministers, MLAs, and senior leaders from various parties figuring in the web of connections. ED officials are tracing links through close associates and family members to establish the extent of involvement.

A dozen former collectors from districts including Raipur, Korba, Dhamtari, Bilaspur, and Durg are also under the scanner. In Korba, irregularities are said to be particularly pronounced, with questions being raised over the role of multiple collectors, including women officers who served there.

Initial findings suggest that in certain pockets, compensation was distributed in a seemingly arbitrary manner, prompting deeper financial scrutiny by the central agency.

Recent Momentum in Investigation

The Thursday operation comes days after ED teams conducted searches at eight locations in Raipur, Abhanpur, Dhamtari, and Kurud, where cash worth Rs 66.9 lakh and 37 kg of silver were reportedly seized. Those raids too were tied to the same Bharatmala land compensation irregularities.

The agency is now widening its net to include builders, businessmen, and property dealers who may have facilitated or benefited from the alleged irregularities. Property dealers and middlemen—nearly two dozen of them—have already come under the lens.

Impact and What Lies Ahead

For residents in the affected districts, the prolonged probe has brought uncertainty over land records and ongoing infrastructure work. The Bharatmala project, meant to improve connectivity, has seen its fair share of controversies regarding acquisition processes across states.

Officials familiar with the matter indicated that Thursday’s searches yielded documents that could further strengthen the money laundering case. The ED is expected to continue questioning those whose premises were searched and may issue summons in the coming days.

Further action could include attachment of properties if proceeds of crime are established. The agency is also separating its probe into the role of senior IAS officers from the state-level EOW findings against lower revenue staff.

As the investigation progresses, more details on the scale of the alleged scam and the involvement of political figures are likely to emerge. The case underscores the challenges in ensuring transparency during large-scale land acquisition for national infrastructure projects.