VIJAY DEO JHA
Ranchi, May 24: The Enforcement Directorate that raided the premises of businessmen Vishal Choudhary and Nishit Keshri in Ranchi on Tuesday has got details of transactions, indicating suspected money laundering.
“However, during the raid, no significant cash amount was recovered but the evidence of the money transactions is present and the same would be analysed in the light of emerging evidence,” said sources in the ED. But the sources did not disclose the amount so far seized during the raid.
Raids were carried out at as many as six locations. Other than Vishal and Nishit, the ED carried out raids against one Anil Jha who is said to be a staff of a very influential powerbroker. Anil Jha is said to be a go-between and a courier.
From Raghubar Das to Hemant Soren government Vishal Choudhary holds his sway
Sources said that Vishal Choudhary is closely connected with many IAS officers and he has a special business interest in several state-sponsored sectors like health, skill development as well as excise, and prohibition. In the year 2012, he set up ‘Vinayaka Fundamental Research and Education Society (VFRES) and soon became a partner of the Jharkhand Skill Development Mission and signed an MOU for skill development training and placement of 3000 youth of Jharkhand every year.
He also looks after the affairs of Frontline Promoters Private Limited which was established on 25 May 2009. Registered at Registrar of Companies, Patna, his wife Shweta Singh Chaudhary and brother Triveni Chaudhary are among the directors. The registered address of the company is Damodarpur, P.S – Kanti in Muzaffarpur district of Bihar. Besides, there are several other companies like Vayam Info Security Services Private Limited, Vayam Info Solutions Private Limited, FGS Construction Private Limited and others that are linked to his family.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, he is said to have bagged the supply order of testing kits and others that were worth crores. Some of the documents pertain to e-tender for empanelment of the placement agency of Jharkhand State Beverage Corporation Limited. Sources in the government familiar with his business interests claimed that during the regime of Raghubar Das when the state government changed excise policy and took over the liquor business, Vishal Choudhary had provided the manpower to run liquor shops. A regular flier to the foreign countries Vishal Choudhary is said to be a familiar face in the bureaucracy.
Rise of Nishit Keshri from garment shop owner to a top real estate developer
During the raid, the ED officials seized documents from the office premise of construction company NKCPL owned by Nishit Keshri. He is the brother-in-law of senior IAS officer Rajiv Arun Ekka who is the principal secretary to Chief Minister Hemant Soren. His office at OAK Forest apartment on Pundag road in Ranchi was searched. Only one and half a decade back he used to run a garment shop named Poonam Dresses. Today he is among the topmost real estate developers in Jharkhand. The ED doubts that many bureaucrats and politicians have parked their money in his construction projects.
