Jal Jeevan Mission probe: ED conducts searches in Ranchi

The Enforcement Directorate on Monday conducted searches on over 20 locations including an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer and staff of a state minister in connection with its money laundering probe into Jal Jeevan Mission case, people familiar with the development said.

Officials said all the locations being raided are in Ranchi.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) is soon expected to announce the dates for elections in Jharkhand.

The Jharkhand assembly will complete its term on January 5, 2025. In the 2019 elections, polling was conducted in the state in five phases.

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Among those raided include a premises linked to an IAS officer, a personal staffer of drinking water and sanitation minister Mithilesh Kumar Thakur, some government officials, contractors and businessmen, they said.

The ED’s money laundering probe is linked to irregularities in the Jal Jeevan Mission.

The central government’s Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) aims to provide safe and adequate drinking water through household tap connections.

Earlier, ED has probed similar irregularities in a separate probe in Jal Jeevan Mission related works in Rajasthan as well.