The Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday conducted raids at several locations in Jharkhand, as well as in West Bengal, as part of a money laundering investigation connected to the suspected illegal infiltration of Bangladeshi nationals, PTI reported, citing official sources.Â
The raids are taking place at 17 sites across the two neighboring states, coordinated by the Jharkhand office of the federal agency.
The agency had in September filed a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) to probe an instance of alleged infiltration and trafficking of some Bangladeshi women into Jharkhand leading to the generation of alleged slush funds.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other BJP leaders have accused the state government of aiding such infiltration leading to the altering of the demographic landscape of the tribal-dominated areas of Santhal Pargana and Kolhan regions during the recent poll campaign, PTI reported.
The first phase of the Assembly elections, covering 43 constituencies, is scheduled for Wednesday, while the second phase, for 38 seats, will take place on November 20.
The Enforcement Directorate’s Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR), filed under various sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), is based on an FIR registered by Jharkhand Police at the Bariyatu police station in Ranchi in June.