Directorate of Enforcement (ED), Ranchi Zonal Office has provisionally attached
movable assets worth Rs. 43.55 Lakh under the provisions of the Prevention of Money
Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, in connection with a large-scale embezzlement case
involving the Drinking Water and Sanitation Department (DWSD), Ranchi. The attached
assets are in the form of bank deposits, mutual funds, insurance policies, and equity shares
held in the names of Santosh Kumar, the primary accused, his wife Lalita Sinha, and a
shell company controlled by him. This action follows an ongoing investigation into the
fraudulent withdrawal of nearly Rs. 23 Crore of government funds by Santosh Kumar, a
cashier at the DWSD, who allegedly used fake payee IDs and manipulated official payment
systems to siphon the money.
ED initiated its investigation based on an FIR registered by the Jharkhand Police.
The investigation revealed that the embezzled funds were laundered through a complex
web of transactions, including large cash withdrawals for alleged distribution among coconspirators and investments in various movable and immovable properties to conceal
their illicit origin.
ED had earlier conducted searches at multiple locations, leading to the seizure of
cash and incriminating documents, and had issued its first Provisional Attachment Order
attaching properties worth Rs. 1.75 Crore. With this latest attachment issued on June 13,
2025, the total value of assets seized, frozen, or attached in the case so far Rs. 2.75 Crore
(approx.).
