ED raids RJD MLA Ashok Mehta, others in Bihar co-op bank 'fraud' PMLA case

Patna: The Enforcement Directorate Friday conducted searches in multiple states, including in Bihar on premises linked to an RJD MLA, as part of a money laundering investigation linked to an alleged funds embezzlement at a state cooperative bank, official sources said.

About 18 premises in Bihar, West Bengal (Kolkata), Uttar Pradesh and Delhi are being searched, they said.

These include premises linked to RJD MLA and former Bihar minister Alok Kumar Mehta (58) who is the promoter of the Bihar-based Vaishali Shahri Vikas (VSV) Cooperative Bank apart from some other linked entities, the sources said.

The money laundering investigation stems from some state police FIRs filed against the bank and its office-bearers for alleged embezzlement of funds worth about Rs 85 crore, they said.

The RBI had carried out a verification of the bank and identified the alleged diversion of the bank funds, the sources said.

Mehta is an MLA from the Ujiarpur seat of Bihar and is a senior politician of the Lalu Prasad Yadav led Rashtriya Janta Dal (RJD). He has earlier served as the minister for revenue and land reforms in the state.

No immediate reaction was available from him or the party.