Raipur
The long-awaited hearing concerning extortion and money laundering cases commenced at the special court this Saturday, marked by applications filed by both the accused parties and the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
Given the high-profile nature of the case, the district court premises witnessed a significant commotion during the proceedings. Notably, the ED submitted an application seeking authorization to interrogate the accused individuals currently in jail.
Meanwhile, suspended IAS officer Ranu Sahu and the former Chief Minister’s deputy secretary, Saumya Chaurasia, have sought exemptions citing health reasons.
A pivotal aspect of the session includes the anticipated hearing on the pre-arrest bail plea filed by Congress MLA Devendra Yadav and a petition presented by Congress treasurer Ramgopal Agrawal, urging the ED to issue a non-bailable warrant against him.
However, reports reveal that both Devendra Yadav and Ramgopal Agrawal were absent from the court. Yadav is speculated to be in Delhi, while Agrawal is allegedly out of the country. Agrawal has evaded questioning despite four summonses issued by the ED. This includes a directive from the High Court to present himself for questioning, yet the Raipur Police did not facilitate his appearance following summonses in September and October last year.
