The Enforcement Directorate (ED) carried out raids on Tuesday at nine locations in Ranchi and Delhi connected to the multi-crores Kanke (Ranchi) land scam. The action was part of a money laundering probe under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) into fraudulent sale and possession of tribal and government land in Chama Mouza of Kanke block.
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Cash, Documents and Digital Devices Seized
According to ED sources, the searches were conducted at the properties of Kanke Resort owner Brajesh Kumar Singh alias B.K. Singh, land mafia Kamlesh, and their associates. Investigators recovered nearly Rs. 25 lakh in cash from the house of Singh’s relative Gunjan Singh, along with a large cache of land-related documents and digital storage devices. The ED also searched Singh’s Kanke resort and the Kadru office of Durga Developers, run by land dealer Anil Jha.
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Case Background and Earlier Action
The case stems from multiple FIRs filed at Gonda and Kanke police stations accusing Kamlesh and others of grabbing 140 acres of Tribal, Bhuinhari, and Government Land through forged documents. The accused allegedly converted restricted land into general category plots, erased mutation records from the NIC server with the help of revenue officials, and sold parcels to private buyers. ED had earlier arrested Kamlesh in July 2024 and filed a Charge-sheet against him, two former circle officers (one deceased), and others.
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Continuing Investigation and Legal Proceedings
The agency had previously recovered Rs. 1.02 Crore in cash, including demonetised currency, and 100 live cartridges during a raid at Kamlesh’s flat in June 2024. With Tuesday’s operation, the ED aims to strengthen its case as it prepares for further hearings before the PMLA special court. Investigators are analysing the seized documents and digital data to trace the money trail and identify additional beneficiaries of the illegal land deals.
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