• Source:JND

Naiduniya Representative, Raipur | In a major action, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested Abhanpur resident Jai Prakash Gandhi in connection with an alleged land acquisition compensation scam under the Bharatmala project. The ED's Raipur Zonal Office team arrested the accused on Wednesday, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.

Following the arrest, he was produced before the special PMLA court in Raipur. Considering the seriousness of the case, the court remanded the accused to a three-day ED remand.

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Scam In The Raipur-Visakhapatnam Economic Corridor Project

According to the ED, the scam is linked to the large-scale irregularities and fraud in the distribution of compensation for land acquired for the Raipur-Visakhapatnam Economic Corridor Project. The investigation was initiated based on an FIR filed by the Economic Offences Investigation Branch (EOW) and the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) of Chhattisgarh.

How The Land Scam Was Carried Out?

The investigation revealed that Gandhi, along with his family members and some public servants, purchased land falling within the proposed alignment of a national highway. Subsequently, the land was allegedly divided into smaller plots of less than 500 square meters.

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Received Compensation Many Times Higher Than Actual Rate

The ED alleged that this entire scheme was designed to obtain higher compensation from the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI). By exploiting the rules through the artificial division of land, compensation was obtained many times higher than the actual entitlement.

Rs 9.83 Crore Taken Instead of Rs 56 Lakh

According to the investigating agency, Gandhi and his family received compensation of approximately Rs 9.83 crore, whereas, as per the rules, they were only entitled to Rs 56.76 lakh. The ED claimed that this resulted in illegal income (proceeds of crime) of approximately Rs 9.27 crore. The investigation also revealed that attempts were made to conceal the source of this money by investing it in the stock market, mutual funds, and other financial investment vehicles.

Role of other accused and officials is also under investigation. The ED has stated that the investigation is ongoing. The role of other individuals who benefited from the scam, intermediaries, and government officials and employees involved is also being investigated. The investigating agency believes that this case is not limited to just one individual and that many other names may emerge in the coming days.

Earlier, on April 28, 2026, the ED conducted simultaneous raids at various locations in Raipur, Abhanpur, and Dhamtari districts. During the searches, the investigating agency recovered several important documents, digital devices, and other evidence related to the alleged irregularities, which were seized.

(With Naidunia.com Inputs)


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