Team News Riveting
Raipur, October 13
The 2009-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of Chhattisgarh cadre, Sameer Vishnoi was on Thursday remanded to eight days custody of Enforcement Directorate (ED).
Earlier, the economic intelligence agency had arrested the IAS officer on Thursday morning in connection with a money laundering case. Besides four kg gold, cash of Rs 47 lakh was reportedly recovered from the residence of Vishnoi. Besides the IAS officer, businessman Sunil Agrawal of the Indramani group and Laxmikant Tiwari, uncle of “absconding” businessman Suryakant Tiwari, have also been taken into custody in the morning by the federal agency from state capital Raipur, they said.
After medical, Vishnoi and others were produced in the court of special designated judge Ajay Singh Rajput. A leading lawyer from the national capital was flown in a chartered plane to appear for the businessman.
After a lengthy argument, the court sent Vishnoi and others for eight days ED custody. The ED had sought a 15 days remand.
Meanwhile, wife of the arrested IAS officer Nidhi called on Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and reportedly submitted a memorandum alleging harassment of the central agency during the raids. She charged that the investigating agency was mounting pressure to name the powerful persons in power and the officers close to them in the shady deals.
The ED action came in connection with a money laundering case. Vishnoi, an alumnus of IIT Kanpur, is currently posted as the CEO of the Chhattisgarh Infotech Promotion Society. He is also the ex-officio Joint Secretary of Electronics and Information Technology and Director, Geology, and had held the Mining department besides working as MD, Chhattisgarh State Minerals Development Corporation.
Two other IAS officers are also on the radar. The 2010-batch IAS officer and District Collector of Raigarh, Ranu Sahu today wrote a letter to the investigating officer of ED and assured full cooperation. She was reportedly in Hyderabad for a minor surgery when ED struck at her premises two days ago.
