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ED takes major action in the Ranchi RSS office attack investigation
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday conducted simultaneous searches in four states in connection with a money laundering case related to the June petrol bomb attack on the RSS office in Ranchi. ED teams reached several premises in Delhi, Bihar, Jharkhand and Karnataka. According to officials, this action was taken under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act i.e. PMLA.
This investigation by ED is related to the case registered by the National Investigation Agency (NIA). The NIA is investigating the conspiracy behind the attack on the RSS office in Ranchi’s Nivaranpur area. Even in the official NIA records, this case has been registered as a case related to throwing of a bomb towards the RSS office premises.
The focus of the investigating agencies is now on whether there was any financial network or organised funding channel behind the accused involved in the attack. ED is investigating this aspect under the money laundering investigation.
Searches were conducted in Delhi, Bihar, Jharkhand, and Karnataka.
The ED’s operations were conducted simultaneously in four states: Delhi, Bihar, Jharkhand, and Karnataka. According to officials, the purpose of the search is to examine financial transactions, documents and other possible evidence related to the case.
The agency’s Delhi zone team took this action under PMLA. ED has taken this step on the basis of facts revealed by NIA investigation. At present, complete information about what was recovered during the search by the agency has not been made public.
The action in four states indicates that the investigation is not limited to Ranchi alone. Agencies are looking into possible financial and network links linked to the attack, extending to other states.
The Shahzad Bhatti Network is also under investigation.
Alleged links to the Pakistan-based Shahzad Bhatti Network in this case are also under the radar of investigating agencies. According to Hindustan Times, the investigation is also looking into the possible role of this network and its links with the accused.
The Home Ministry had on September 16 declared the Shahzad Bhatti Network a terrorist organisation under the UAPA. According to the ministry, the network is accused of smuggling arms, explosives and drugs across the border and pushing youth and petty criminals towards terrorist activities.
However, investigation is still going on regarding the role of the network in the Ranchi attack. Therefore, the allegations made against any accused or organization cannot be seen as a final conclusion until the investigation is completed.
The RSS office was targeted in June.
Petrol bombs were thrown at the RSS office in Ranchi’s Nivaranpur area on the night of June 16 and 17. Reports indicate that two petrol bombs were thrown. After the incident, Jharkhand Police and later NIA started investigating the case.
The police had arrested suspects in the case and as the investigation progressed, the NIA also interrogated the accused. On the official website of NIA, this case has been registered as a case related to throwing of a bomb towards the RSS office premises.
Now with the entry of ED, the financial aspect of the investigation has also come to light. The agency is trying to find out whether the money reached the people involved in the attack through any suspicious means.
The ED initiated a money laundering investigation based on the NIA’s investigation.
According to ED officials, the agency’s investigation is based on information gleaned from the NIA case. Under the PMLA, the agency can investigate financial transactions that are linked to an alleged crime.
Documents, financial records and other digital or business information recovered from suspicious premises may be crucial in this investigation. However, after ED’s action on Thursday, it has not been made clear how much property or other material was seized during the search.
As the investigation progresses, both ED and NIA agencies are investigating different aspects of the case at their respective levels. One agency is focused on the criminal conspiracy, while the ED is investigating the financial connections.
Investigation intensified after action against Bhatti Network under UAPA
The ED’s action in the Ranchi case comes a day after the Shahzad Bhatti Network was declared a terrorist organization under the UAPA. The Home Ministry has said that the network’s activities include cross-border smuggling and terrorist activities.
In the earlier action taken by the Ministry, information was given about cases and arrests in many states against people associated with this network. However, the connection of any particular person with the Ranchi attack will be decided only on the basis of the investigation findings.
In such a situation, the latest ED raid is being seen as a step to explore the possible role of the financial network in the investigation of the Ranchi attack. At present, the final conclusion has not been revealed by the investigating agencies.
After raids in four states, what next in the investigation?
The ED’s action in four states has further widened the scope of investigation into the Ranchi RSS office attack. The investigation is now looking into the attack plot as well as possible financial transactions and network connections.
The agencies are trying to find out whether there was any organised financial link between the accused and whether they received any help from any external network. Meanwhile, possible connections with the Shahzad Bhatti Network are also being investigated.
Currently, the investigation of ED and NIA is going on. Information is emerging from the search operation and further legal action
