Dhanbad: Sleuths of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on July 28 conducted searches at more than 25 residential and commercial premises in Dhanbad as part of an ongoing money-laundering investigation linked to coal trading and outsourcing businesses, sources said.
ED conducts massive raid across 25+ Dhanbad locations over coal trade money laundering probe
The agency seized roughly Rs 1.5 crore in cash and traced properties and bank holdings exceeding Rs 150 crore linked to an alleged illegal coal trading network. Officials describe the… pic.twitter.com/RS3rngb31e
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The agency seized roughly Rs 1.5 crore in cash and traced properties and bank holdings worth more than Rs 150 crore allegedly linked to an illegal coal-trading network, sources said. Officials described the action as one of the biggest hauls by the ED in Jharkhand to date.
ED teams, accompanied by central armed police personnel, reached the locations around 6:30 am and secured the entry and exit points before beginning the searches. According to sources, the premises were linked to business associates of coal traders LB Singh and Anil Goyal.
Those whose premises were searched included Ganesh Yadav, Shekhar Yadav, Rohit Yadav, Madhav Singh, Lakshman Dubey alias Pappu Dubey, Pappu Mandal, Harendra Chauhan, Arun Chauhan, Imtiaz Ali and Mahendra Prasad Singh. The premises of accountant Ritesh Sharma and chartered accountant D N Sinha were also searched, sources said.
During the operation, officials examined financial records, bank documents, property papers and digital devices. The searches reportedly resulted in the seizure of cash and documents, while officials also traced substantial property and banking assets allegedly connected to the suspected network.
At one location, officials reportedly faced a delay after family members of Ranjit Kumar Singh allegedly kept the premises locked from inside. The search began after officials gained access to the house, sources said.
The searches are believed to be connected to the ED’s probe into alleged irregularities in Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL) tenders, illegal coal mining and suspected laundering of proceeds. The agency is also examining the alleged illegal coal-trading network and its financial links.
In November 2025, the ED had searched 18 locations across Jharkhand and West Bengal, including 17 in Dhanbad, as part of an investigation involving premises linked to LB Singh and his associates.
