Indore/Mumbai, Dec 25: The Directorate of Enforcement (ED), Indore Zonal Office, has conducted extensive search operations under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, at multiple locations in Indore and Mumbai, the investigation agency said on Thursday.

The raids on December 23 targeted premises linked to the Ruchi Group in connection with ongoing investigations into alleged bank fraud cases.

The probe stems from multiple FIRs registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Bhopal, against several Ruchi Group entities. These include M/s Ruchi Global Ltd. (now renamed M/s Agrotrade Enterprises Ltd.), M/s Ruchi Acroni Industries Ltd. (now M/s Steeltech Resources Ltd.), and M/s RSAL Steel Pvt. Ltd. (now M/s LGB Steel Pvt. Ltd.), it said.

The companies, promoted by the late Kailash Chandra Shahra and Umesh Shahra, are accused of orchestrating large-scale bank frauds through fund diversion, siphoning, and accounting manipulations, resulting in substantial wrongful losses to public sector banks.

The ED officials revealed that the investigation uncovered a sophisticated conspiracy involving the creation of numerous shell entities, the agency said.

These were used for round-tripping transactions, where spurious Letters of Credit and Cash Credit facilities were manipulated to divert funds for private gain.

Bogus sales and purchases were recorded, and deliberate losses inflicted to siphon off loan amounts obtained ostensibly for legitimate business purposes, it said.

Proceeds of crime generated from these frauds were allegedly concealed and layered to disguise their illicit origins.

During the searches, authorities froze bank balances exceeding Rs 20 lakh belonging to the accused persons and their family members. Additionally, cash amounting to over Rs 23 lakh was seized, along with significant incriminating documents and digital devices that establish the roles of the accused in the fraud, said the agency.

This action revives scrutiny on the Ruchi Group, which has faced prior allegations of financial irregularities.

Earlier CBI probes, dating back to 2021, had flagged similar issues in group companies, including a Rs 188 crore fraud case involving a bank consortium.

The current ED operation signals intensified efforts to trace and recover laundered assets, it said.

Further investigation is progressing, with sources indicating potential attachments of properties and deeper probes into the beneficiaries of the diverted funds.

Gwalior, Dec 25: Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah delivered an inspiring address at the ‘Abhyudaya Madhya Pradesh Growth Summit’ here on Thursday, marking the 101st birth anniversary of former Prime Minister and Bharat Ratna recipient Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Speaking on the theme ‘Investment to Employment – Atal’s Resolve, a Bright Madhya Pradesh’, HM Shah hailed the state’s rapid transformation under the double-engine government, declaring that Madhya Pradesh is emerging as the growth engine of ‘Viksit Bharat’.

HM Shah lavished praise on Chief Minister Mohan Yadav for pioneering initiatives aimed at balanced regional development across the state.

He highlighted CM Yadav’s innovative approach of organising regional investment promotion events and ground-breaking ceremonies in every division, ensuring equitable growth and unlocking the untapped potential of all areas.

“Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has taken thoughtful steps to establish a strong foundation for all-round development through his regional investment committees,” he said, adding that these efforts surpass even the energetic pace set by previous long-serving BJP Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

The Home Minister emphasised the critical importance of symmetrical industrial establishment to leverage Madhya Pradesh’s strategic geographical location.

He pointed to the traditional strength of cotton production in the Malwa and Gwalior-Chambal regions, noting that declining farmer incomes due to unfair prices could be reversed by setting up processing and allied industries locally. This would minimise transportation costs, make cotton farming profitable again, and connect seamlessly to markets in Delhi, western states, and nearby districts.

HM Shah described the day’s massive investment push – with foundation stones laid for 1,655 industrial units worth over Rs 2 lakh crore, expected to create 193,000 jobs – as a fitting tribute to former Prime Minister Vajpayee’s vision of good governance and national progress.

Held in Vajpayee’s birthplace, the summit, he said, embodied the late leader’s ideology of self-reliance, development, and inclusive growth, giving it a grand resonance on this auspicious occasion.

HM Shah expressed hope for continued central support, promising that true welfare stems from aligning with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision for a prosperous India. The event, attended by prominent industrialists and cabinet ministers, reinforced Madhya Pradesh’s commitment to converting investments into widespread employment and regional prosperity.

Kolkata, Dec 25: A Booth Level Officer (BLO) has gone missing in West Bengal’s East Midnapore district before the start of the hearing process of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, said the police on Thursday.

According to his family members, he has been untraceable for the past two days. The BLO’s identity card is at his home, along with various enumeration forms and related documents. The disappearance of the BLO before the public hearing of the SIR process has caused a stir in the area.

The district administration has also launched efforts to find the missing BLO.

The police said that the name of the BLO is Amit Kumar Mondal, a resident of Bikihat area under Khajurdihi Panchayat in Katwa I block of East Burdwan district, and a teacher by profession. He teaches at Uddharanpur Primary School in Ketugram. He is in charge of Booth No. 23 of the Katwa Assembly constituency as a BLO.

According to his family, on Tuesday, around 10 a.m., the BLO returned home from the market, parked his motorbike and went out again. He told his family that he had a BLO meeting. After the afternoon passed, the BLO did not return home.

When the family members started a search for him, they found his mobile phone, BLO identity card and SIR-related documents lying at home. The family searched for him in various places, including the homes of relatives, but could not trace him. That same night, the family filed a missing person report at the Katwa police station. It has been over two days, and there is still no trace of him.

The mystery surrounding Amit Kumar Mondal’s disappearance is deepening. The family is also clueless about the reason for his disappearance. The family claimed that he had been under some pressure since taking the responsibility of working as a BLO

It is learnt that there are 641 voters in Amit Kumar Mondal’s Booth No. 23. He had distributed notices to 33 voters for the hearing. The hearing is scheduled to begin in two days, where his presence as the BLO is mandatory.

However, his disappearance before that has put the administration in a challenging position. Katwa Sub-Divisional Officer Anirban Basu did not give any official statement to the media on this matter.

Sources said that if he is not found in due time, then a replacement will be made to complete his unfinished work.

A senior officer of East Burdwan district police said, “Based on the missing person diary lodged by the family, a search has started to trace the BLO. So far, he has not been found.”