A file image of the Bharatmala project road under construction.
| Photo Credit: The Hindu
The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has arrested a resident of Chhattisgarh’s Raipur district who, along with his family members, had fraudulently received about ₹9.27 crore for land acquired under the Bharatmala project, the agency said on Thursday (June 4, 2026).The ED is probing the money laundering angle in the case. It alleged that Jai Prakash Gandhi, a resident of Abhanpur near Raipur, and his family members, received compensation of ₹9.83 crore, almost 17 times more than the legitimately payable amount of ₹56.76 lakh, thereby generating proceeds of crime to the tune of ₹9.27 crore.Mr. Gandhi was produced before a Special Court (PMLA) in Raipur which has granted the custody of the accused to the ED for three days, according to an official in the ED Raipur zonal office.Fraudulent fragmentationThe official said that the investigation revealed that Mr. Gandhi, in connivance with his family members and certain public servants, had acquired land falling within the notified highway alignment for the Raipur–Visakhapatnam Economic Corridor project under Bharatmala Pariyojana. Subsequently, the accused fragmented the land into parcels measuring less than 500 square metres.“The fragmentation was allegedly carried out with the sole intention of claiming enhanced compensation from the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI),” the official added.The investigation had further revealed that the proceeds of the crime were subsequently layered and integrated through investments in shares, mutual funds, and other financial instruments, the official said.“Earlier, ED had conducted search operations in the case on April 28 at various premises in Raipur, Abhanpur and Dhamtari districts, during which incriminating documents, digital devices and other evidences relating to the fraudulent acquisition of compensation were recovered and seized,” the ED said in a statement. Published - June 04, 2026 09:17 pm IST
