RANCHI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday raided the premises of Chartered Accountant (CA) Naresh Kejriwal in Ranchi, conducting searches at 15 locations across Ranchi, Mumbai and Surat under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) and money laundering provisions.

Unlike previous actions under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), this marks the first major ED action under FEMA in Jharkhand. Searches continued at Kejriwal’s residence and office at Church Complex in Ranchi, where ED teams examined documents related to financial dealings and suspicious foreign exchange transactions.

Premises linked to Kejriwal’s family members, relatives and business associates were also searched. The crackdown follows an Income Tax Department investigation that revealed Kejriwal had invested in several undeclared foreign shell companies in the UAE, Nigeria and the US. These companies were allegedly operated from India, raising concerns about their purpose and the nature of their transactions. Investigating agencies have reportedly gathered key information about foreign investments, transactions and bank accounts.

Based on this input, the ED launched searches under FEMA.

Meanwhile, the ED has intensified its probe into the illegal mining case in Sahibganj, involving an estimated Rs 1,000 crore. The agency has summoned 11 individuals, including mining officers, businessmen and contractors, to appear at its Ranchi office for questioning. The investigation stems from an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) based on case number 85/2020. As of June 30, 2025, the ED has filed five supplementary charge sheets in the case before the PMLA court.