Directorate of Enforcement (ED), Ranchi Zonal Office has provisionally attached thirty (30)
movable / immovable properties on 14/8/2025 valued at Rs. 3.02 Crore belonging to Ankit Raj
under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.
ED initiated investigation on the basis of sixteen FIRs registered by the Jharkhand Police on
December 15, 2023, involving the charges of extortion, illegal sand mining, disruption of
government work, and operating a militant group known as the Jharkhand Tiger Group.
During the investigation, ED conducted searches on March 12, 2024, March 13, 2024, and
July 4, 2025, to gather evidences related to the Proceeds of Crime (POC). A survey was also
carried out on July 18, 2025, at the District Mining Office in Hazaribagh to collect documents
related to Ankit Raj’s illegal sand business.
Based on witness statements, documents from the District Mining Authorities, and evidences
from digital devices, the investigation revealed that Ankit Raj continued to illegally extract sand
from the Haharo, Plandu, and Damodar Rivers even after his mining license for Sonpura Ghat
expired in 2019.
Ankit Raj and his associates reportedly used a sophisticated, multi-layered system to illegally
mine, store, and transport sand. This operation was designed to maximize illicit profits by
deliberately evading mining regulations and abusing public authority. As a result of these
activities, Ankit Raj acquired POC. The total attachment/freezing in the case is Rs. 3.4 Crore.
