THE JHARKHAND STORY DESK
Patna, Feb 27: As part of a money laundering investigation into allegations of possessing disproportionate assets, the Enforcement Directorate raided the premises of RJD MLA Kiran Devi, her husband and former legislator Arun Yadav, and a few other people on Tuesday, according to official sources.
Kiran Devi, an incumbent MLA, represents the Sandesh constituency in Bhojpur district for the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) led by Lalu Prasad. Arun Yadav held the seat from 2015 to 2020.
Sources indicate that when Enforcement Directorate (ED) investigators visited Kiran Devi’s residence on Tuesday morning, the MLA was found to be absent. Searches were also carried out at properties linked to the MLA in Agiaon, Bhojpur.
16 FIRs by Bihar Police basis for ED probe
The Bihar Police filed 16 FIRs at various police stations in the Ara district, which is the basis for the ED’s money laundering investigation against Arun Yadav and Kiran Devi.
In 2021, the ED lodged a criminal case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) against the couple.
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Arun Yadav and a few family members’ statements were previously recorded by the ED as part of this investigation, and it also got property records and bank account statements belonging to the Yadav family and a connected company called Kiran Durga Contractors Pvt Ltd.
According to the sources, the investigation revealed that the Yadav family allegedly made cash deposits of Rs 20.5 crore between 2002–03 and 2021–22 and acquired around 72 immovable properties, including residential plots, flats and agricultural fields, in Patna and the Ara district for around Rs 9.90 crore.
The sources added that the Arun Yadav family and the associated entities’ cash deposits and other assets are allegedly out of proportion to their legitimate and established sources of income.
Under scanner in two more cases
In relation to the land-for-job scam case involving RJD supremo Lalu Prasad and his family, Arun Yadav is also being investigated by central investigation agencies.
Yadav and Kiran Devi are under investigation by the ED regarding their involvement in the illegal sand mining case. The agency conducted raids on them last year as part of these two investigations.
