Patna: In a significant development in Bihar’s money laundering investigation, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested 1997-batch IAS officer Sanjeev Hans and former Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MLA Gulab Yadav. The two have been under ED scrutiny for months over allegations of amassing disproportionate assets and engaging in large-scale money laundering schemes. This arrest follows multiple raids conducted by the ED at various locations, including Bihar, Delhi, and Pune, to gather evidence against the accused.
Key Arrests Made: Sanjeev Hans Nabbed in Patna, Gulab Yadav in Delhi
According to official sources, the ED team arrested Sanjeev Hans from his government residence in Patna, while Gulab Yadav was apprehended from a luxury resort in Delhi. Both arrests come after the ED secured substantial evidence linking the two to illicit financial transactions and benami properties (properties held in another person’s name to conceal ownership). Following their arrest, they have been sent to jail, and will undergo questioning by ED officials after their medical examinations.
This isn’t the first time IAS officer Sanjeev Hans has found himself at the center of controversy. He has faced bribery allegations in the past, making this latest scandal another blot on his career.
Recovery of Benami Properties and Cash in Raids
The investigation into Hans and Yadav’s illicit wealth dates back to earlier raids in which the ED seized ₹90 lakh in cash and 13 kg of silver from properties linked to the two men. Moreover, crucial documents detailing their ownership of benami properties were uncovered during these searches. The ED revealed that Hans has invested heavily in real estate, purchasing properties worth crores in Mohali and Kasauli, Punjab. This large-scale property acquisition appears to be central to the money laundering operation under investigation.
Hans’ Role as a Senior Bureaucrat Under Scrutiny
Before his arrest, Sanjeev Hans held several key government positions, including Principal Secretary of the Energy Department and CMD of Bihar State Power Holding Company Limited. As per reports, one of the most damning pieces of evidence is his acquisition of a resort in Chandigarh valued at a staggering ₹95 crore. Investigators believe this lavish property was purchased using laundered funds, further intensifying the case against him.
Gulab Yadav’s Political Setback and Criminal Involvement
Gulab Yadav, a former MLA and RJD heavyweight, has faced a political downfall in recent years. He was denied a ticket by the RJD for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, leading him to contest unsuccessfully on a Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) ticket. Despite his declining political fortunes, Yadav remains a well-known figure in Bihar politics, and his arrest in this high-profile case adds to the political ramifications of the scandal.
Bihar’s Fight Against Corruption Deepens
The arrest of Sanjeev Hans and Gulab Yadav is part of a larger crackdown on corruption in Bihar, where the ED has intensified efforts to tackle money laundering and disproportionate asset cases. The revelations of benami property deals worth crores and the involvement of high-ranking officials and politicians have shocked many in the state. With further interrogations and investigations ahead, this case could unravel more layers of corruption in the state’s political and bureaucratic circles.
As the ED continues its probe, the focus will be on how deeply the money laundering network extends and whether more individuals in positions of power are implicated in this growing scandal.
