Ranchi, March 27: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed a prosecution complaint against four individuals in a money laundering case at a special court in Ranchi. This action was taken on Thursday.
The accused include Sanjeev Kumar Singh, an Assistant Security Sub-Inspector at Central Coalfields Limited (CCL), his wife Poonam Devi, his younger brother Gopal Kumar, and private coal transporter Rahul Kumar. Serious allegations of money laundering have been leveled against them. The complaint was submitted before the Special Judge, CBI-cum-Special Judge (PMLA), Ranchi.
The ED initiated its investigation based on an FIR registered by the CBI’s Anti-Corruption Branch in Ranchi and a chargesheet filed on December 9, 2025. The CBI’s chargesheet included allegations of criminal conspiracy, bribery, and misconduct under the Indian Penal Code, 2023, and the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (amended in 2018).
The investigation revealed that Sanjeev Kumar Singh is the main accused. He was stationed as an Assistant Security Sub-Inspector at CCL’s Burkhunda Training Institute and served as the security in-charge in the Barkasayal area. He allegedly misused his position to gain illegal financial benefits from private transporters linked to coal mines within his jurisdiction.
The ED’s inquiry found that Singh accepted a bribe of approximately ₹5 lakh from private coal transporter Rahul Kumar, which was directly deposited into his wife Poonam Devi’s Axis Bank account. This bribe was received in exchange for providing undue advantages in coal transportation matters.
Additionally, around ₹4.46 lakh was found deposited in Poonam Devi’s account, with no satisfactory explanation regarding its source. The investigation also revealed that Poonam Devi deliberately used her bank account to deposit money obtained from criminal activities and later transferred ₹4 lakh to Gopal Kumar’s account.
Gopal Kumar quickly spent this amount within seven days through cash withdrawals, transfers to other accounts, and payments for vehicle loans. This action aimed to integrate the illegal funds into his personal financial activities, attempting to legitimize them. According to the ED, this entire process falls under money laundering, which involves making illegally obtained money appear legitimate through various means.
During the investigation, the ED took action under Section 5 of the PMLA and temporarily attached approximately ₹9.46 lakh deposited in the accused’s bank accounts. This amount is believed to be equivalent to the proceeds of crime. The attached assets include around ₹58,000 in Sanjeev Kumar Singh’s SBI account and about ₹8.88 lakh in Gopal Kumar’s SBI account.
Currently, the case is pending in the special PMLA court in Ranchi, and hearings are ongoing. The Enforcement Directorate has indicated that further investigations will continue, and the roles of other related individuals may also be examined if necessary.
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