Uttarakhand Money Laundering Probe: ED Confiscates Cash, Gold in Raids Targeting Former Minister Rawat

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted raids on properties linked to former Uttarakhand minister Harak Singh Rawat, revealing financial irregularities. Around Rs 1.20 crore in various currencies, gold, and documents were seized. The investigation spanned 17 locations across Uttarakhand, Delhi, and Haryana, targeting Rawat and his associates.

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In a significant development, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has launched raids on properties associated with former Uttarakhand minister Harak Singh Rawat, shedding light on potential financial irregularities. The probe, initiated as part of a money laundering investigation, unveiled a substantial amount of cash and assets.

During the raids, which commenced on Wednesday, the ED targeted a total of 17 locations across Uttarakhand, Delhi, and Haryana. The primary focus of the investigation was on individuals connected to Rawat, including his close associate Birendra Singh Kandari, former Indian Forest Service (IFoS) officer Kishan Chand, and former forest range officer Brij Bihari Sharma.

Rawat, aged 63, served as the forest minister of Uttarakhand before joining the Congress party ahead of the 2022 assembly polls. The ED's scrutiny stems from two separate FIRs registered in the state, one involving Kandari and others based on a Uttarakhand Police FIR, and the other involving Sharma, Chand, and others based on a vigilance department FIR.

ED alleged that Kandari, along with Narendra Kumar Walia, conspired with Rawat to execute illegal land transactions, leading to significant financial discrepancies. Additionally, Chand and Sharma were accused of manipulating tender processes and misappropriating funds, causing substantial losses to the Uttarakhand government.

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Chand, who served as the divisional forest officer (DFO), was suspended alongside Sharma for their alleged involvement in irregularities within the forest department. Despite Chand's arrest in December 2022, he later obtained conditional bail from the high court in April 2023.

During the raids, the ED seized approximately Rs 1.10 crore in cash, foreign currency valued at Rs 10 lakh, and 1.3 kilograms of gold worth about Rs 80 lakh, along with various digital devices and voluminous documents related to immovable properties and financial transactions.