On Friday, ED seized the property of businessman Vishnu Aggarwal accused of money laundering. The list of seized properties includes land acquired for the army at Cheshire Home Road, Namkum and Sirmtoli. Its value has been estimated at Rs 161.64 crore. In the order related to confiscation of the property, it has been said that with the help of Revenue Department officials, mutation of the concerned land has been done in the name of the land mafia.
So far, 14 people including former Deputy Commissioner Chhavi Ranjan, Vishnu Aggarwal, Prem Prakash have been arrested in the case of buying and selling of land by forging documents. ED raided a total of 41 locations in this case. Also conducted five surveys. During this period, evidence was found of sale deeds prepared fraudulently, distribution of money received in the purchase and sale of land and bribery to government officials and employees. One acre land of Mauza Gaadi located at Cheshire Home Road, bought by Vishnu Aggarwal with the help of officers by forgery in documents, has been seized.
A fake deed was prepared by forging the original land document kept in the registry office in Kolkata. With the help of this deed, the said land was sold to Punit Bhargava, close to power broker Prem Prakash. Punit Bhargava bought this land for Rs 1.78 crore and sold it to Vishnu Aggarwal for Rs 1.80 crore. Puneet gave his share of the money received from Vishnu to the members of the gang who made fake documents.
Also Rs 1.50 crore was given to Prem Prakash. Vishnu Aggarwal was aware of the fraud committed in this case. Despite this he bought this property. Vishnu Aggarwal also purchased 9.30 acres of land located in Pugadu Mauza of Namkum area with the help of officers. The government had formed SIT when there was a dispute over land. During the SIT investigation, it was mentioned in the information sent by junior officers that the land was a special palace. But the report was prepared by adding the word ‘no’ to it.
Deputy Commissioner Chhavi Ranjan did not review this report, although it was his responsibility. The Deputy Commissioner ordered mutation only on the basis of this wrong report. This helped him in getting the ownership rights of this land of Khasmahal. Vishnu Aggarwal also bought the land acquired for the army with the help of officers. This land located in Sirmatoli was acquired during the Second World War.
The Army office at Danapur has details related to the acquisition and payment of land in the year 1949. It is also recorded in the register of Jharkhand Government that the land belongs to the army. Despite this, it was said to be just a request for acquisition. Vishnu Agarwal has bought this land from Mahua Mitra and Sanjay Ghosh, the heirs of the ryots. The details of payment of Rs 15 crore for the purchase of land are recorded in the SAIL DD. During scrutiny of this detail, it was found that Mahua Mitra and Sanjay Ghosh were paid only three crore rupees. The claim of payment of remaining Rs 12 crore is fake.