ED attaches Rs 31.70 crore, charges 17 in Chhattisgarh DMF funds case
The ED has attached properties worth about Rs 31.70 crore and filed a supplementary complaint against 17 accused, alleging District Mineral Foundation funds were misused through Beej Nigam.
Key points
- The ED has provisionally attached properties worth about Rs 31.70 crore and filed a supplementary prosecution complaint against 17 accused in Raipur.
- The ED alleges agents collected commissions of 25% to 50% of purchase-order values, and puts the proceeds of crime of these accused at about Rs 35 crore.
- The attachment must be confirmed by the PMLA Adjudicating Authority; the accused are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
Photo: Chris Woodrich / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped). Representational image.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has provisionally attached properties worth about Rs 31.70 crore and filed a supplementary prosecution complaint against 17 accused in the District Mineral Foundation (DMF) funds case in Chhattisgarh, in which four accused, including Ranu Shau, IAS, have been arrested so far, the agency said on 31 October 2026. The ED alleges that DMF funds were misused through the Chhattisgarh Rajya Beej Evam Krishi Vikas Nigam (Beej Nigam). The attachment order is dated 29 October 2026 and the complaint was filed on 30 October 2026 before the Special Court (PMLA), Raipur.
What Happened
The complaint names Satpal Singh Chabda, who the ED alleges was one of the main liaisoners and financial coordinators of the syndicate, Mandip Chawla, another accused, and 15 others. The ED arrested Satpal Singh Chabda on 1 September 2026 under Section 19 of the PMLA.
The ED's case is based on FIRs registered by the ACB/EOW, Raipur, under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 and the IPC, and by Chhattisgarh Police, District Kanker. The ED has alleged that DMF trust funds, meant for the welfare of mining-affected areas and communities, were misused by a syndicate of public servants and agents, who favoured supply works with inflated procurement costs.
According to the ED, agents collected commissions of 25% to 50% of the base value of purchase orders issued to rate-contract holders, and much of this was passed on to public servants and others for allocating funds, issuing orders and releasing payments. The ED alleges the commissions, taken in cash and through banks, were layered through various entities and accounts, and that similar commissions were collected on other Beej Nigam purchases.
The ED put the proceeds of crime of these accused at about Rs 35 crore. In the case as a whole, it said, proceeds of crime of about Rs 50 crore have been attached.
What It Means
DMF money is meant for people living in mining-affected areas. A provisional attachment is a temporary freeze that must be confirmed by the PMLA Adjudicating Authority. The ED said it is still investigating the role of government servants and agents.
These are allegations, not findings of guilt; the accused are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court, and due process continues.
This report describes enforcement actions and allegations on the public record, attributed to the officials cited. An order, FIR or chargesheet is not a conviction; parties are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
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Sources & Citations
- Enforcement Directorate press release — Enforcement Directorate