The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday carried out extensive raids across poll-bound Jharkhand and select locations in West Bengal as part of a money laundering investigation tied to alleged illegal infiltration of Bangladeshi nationals. News agency PTI reported that the ED searched 17 locations in total across the two states, focusing on tracking illegal funds tied to alleged infiltration and trafficking.

In September, the ED launched its probe under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), examining a case involving suspected infiltration and trafficking of Bangladeshi women into Jharkhand, believed to have generated slush funds through illegal activities. This investigation follows a June First Information Report (FIR) by the Jharkhand Police in Ranchi, which was initiated after a Bangladeshi woman filed a complaint. She alleged that touts had helped her enter India from Bangladesh to find work. The complainant named six women as accused, who were subsequently arrested after police raided a local resort. She reportedly escaped from a guesthouse and managed to reach the police, who recovered a fake Aadhaar card from one of the detained women.

The FIR, which led to multiple arrests, invokes various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including 420 (cheating), 467 (forgery of valuable security), 468 (forgery for the purpose of cheating), 471 (using a forged document as genuine), and 34 (common intention). Additionally, police added section 12 of the Passport Act, which addresses the act of furnishing false information, and section 14A of the Foreigners Act for unauthorised entry into restricted areas. The woman stated in her complaint that she and others were trafficked into India for prostitution under the pretext of securing jobs in beauty salons.

As per ED sources, the agency aims to scrutinise the broader issue of infiltration from Bangladesh into eastern Indian states, specifically Jharkhand’s tribal regions, such as Santhal Pargana and Kolhan. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other BJP leaders have pointed to Jharkhand’s demographic shifts, alleging that the Jharkhand government has facilitated such infiltration in tribal-dominated areas.

During a campaign rally on November 11, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath accused the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM)-led coalition of turning Jharkhand into a “dharmashala” for Rohingya and Bangladeshi infiltrators. Additionally, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, speaking in Seraikela on Monday, pledged that a committee would be established if the BJP takes power in Jharkhand, which would identify and expel infiltrators and reclaim land from illegal occupants.

The Jharkhand Assembly elections are set to proceed in two phases, with voting in 43 constituencies scheduled for Wednesday, followed by 38 constituencies on November 20.