The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested Dinesh Gope, the leader of the People’s Liberation Front of India (PLFI), in a money laundering case. The ED’s Ranchi zonal team arrested Gope from Palamu Central Jail. He was later presented to a special PMLA court in Ranchi via video conference, which ordered a 14-day judicial remand.
The ED’s investigation is rooted in numerous FIRs and charge sheets filed by the Jharkhand Police and the NIA. These legal documents outline severe accusations against Dinesh Gope and the PLFI, including murder, attempted murder, extortion, and other criminal acts. The investigation revealed that Dinesh Gope was extorting money from contractors, business owners, coal traders, and transporters in Jharkhand and surrounding states. The total amount of illegal money earned is estimated to be around 20 crore rupees.
To conceal the origins of these unlawful funds, Gope utilized shell companies and firms, registered under the names of his wives, Shakuntala Devi and Geeta, and close associates. This was done to legitimize the illicit money. The investigation also uncovered that the black money was used for the PLFI’s operations, purchasing weapons, and investing in real estate. The ED is currently expanding its probe to identify further participants and concealed assets. The agency is gathering information regarding Gope’s levy-extortion network, funding, and investments.