The Enforcement Directorate (ED), Raipur Zonal Office, arrested Jai Prakash Gandhi from Abhanpur, Chhattisgarh, on June 3, 2026, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. This arrest is related to a significant fraud involving land acquisition compensation in the Bharatmala Pariyojana project, as stated by the ED. Jai Prakash Gandhi was presented before the Special Court (PMLA), Raipur, and has been remanded to ED custody for three days for further investigation.
The Enforcement Directorate is now looking into the involvement of other beneficiaries, intermediaries, and public servants in the alleged conspiracy. The case revolves around irregularities in compensating land acquired for the Raipur–Visakhapatnam Economic Corridor. The ED’s inquiry was initiated based on an FIR filed by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) and Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Chhattisgarh Police.
Jai Prakash Gandhi, along with family members and certain public servants, is suspected of acquiring land strategically within the highway alignment. The accused reportedly divided the land into smaller parcels to claim inflated compensation rates from the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). This scheme led to the accused and his family receiving around Rs 9.83 crore in compensation, significantly higher than the legitimate amount of Rs 56.76 lakh.
The fraudulent activities resulted in the generation of nearly Rs 9.27 crore in proceeds of crime. Subsequent investigations revealed that the unlawfully obtained funds were laundered and integrated into the financial system through investments in shares, mutual funds, and other financial instruments. In April, the ED conducted searches at various locations in Raipur, Abhanpur, and Dhamtari districts, recovering incriminating documents and digital devices related to the fraudulent land transactions and compensation claims.
