ED raids 9 locations in Chhattisgarh in Bharat Mala compensation probe

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday carried out a major search and seizure operation in Chhattisgarh, conducting raids at nine locations in Raipur and Mahasamund districts as part of an ongoing investigation into alleged irregularities in land acquisition and compensation payments under the Bharat Mala highway project.

According to official sources, teams from the ED’s Raipur zonal office searched premises linked to Harmeet Singh Khanuja, his associates, certain government officials, and individuals connected with the land business. The action is understood to be linked to suspected financial irregularities in compensation paid for land acquired for the Raipur–Visakhapatnam economic corridor, a key stretch under the Bharat Mala programme.

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Investigators are examining whether there were violations of prescribed norms in the compensation distribution process and whether proceeds of crime were generated and routed through illegal channels. Documents, digital records, and other materials seized during the operation are being scrutinised to trace money trails and assess potential offences under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.

As part of the same operation, ED teams also conducted searches in the Mahasamund district, including at a residence in Megh Basant Colony belonging to Jasbir Singh Bagga, who is reported to be associated with a Honda dealership in the district. The agency reached the premises early in the morning in two vehicles and carried out a detailed examination of documents and records found on site. The ED has not issued any official statement so far on the specific reasons for the search at this location.

The action comes amid sustained scrutiny of the Bharat Mala project in Chhattisgarh, where allegations of large-scale irregularities in land acquisition and inflated compensation claims running into crores of rupees have surfaced over the past several months. Multiple agencies are already examining complaints related to the project, which has emerged as one of the most closely watched infrastructure-linked investigations in the state.

The Bharat Mala project envisages the development of nearly 26,000 km of economic corridors across the country to improve freight movement and connectivity, supplementing the Golden Quadrilateral and the North–South and East–West corridors. In Chhattisgarh, several project stretches have come under the scanner following allegations of forged records, procedural violations, and undue benefits in compensation payouts.

The Enforcement Directorate has not issued any official statement on the raids so far. The searches were continuing at multiple locations, and officials indicated that further details, including any seizures, statements recorded, or follow-up action, would be disclosed after the operation concludes. The full contours of the case are expected to emerge once the searches are completed, with the outcome of the probe likely to have significant implications for both the implementation of the project and accountability in land acquisition processes.