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The Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday launched a survey at the Shopping Mall owned by businessman Vishnu Agrawal, who was recently in the news due to his pictures with the Union Finance Minister going viral.

Agrawal, who is out on bail in a money laundering case probed by the ED, was seen greeting the Minister with a bouquet and showing some papers to her during the latter’s visit to Ranchi for a trade body’s programme.

After the pictures went viral, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha and Congress cornered the BJP as the State BJP president Babulal Marandi was also seen accompanying the Union Minister.

However, Sitharaman had clarified in an interview later that the pictures will not affect the ongoing probe against Agrawal.

Agrawal, who owns the Nucleus Mall in Ranchi, was arrested by ED in a case related to the fraudulent sale of a land plot in a posh area of Ranchi In July 2023. He was granted bail by the Jharkhand High Court in January 2024.

ED has also attached three land plots owned by Agrawal that are valued Rs 161.64 Crore. ED has alleged that Agrawal in connivance with former Ranchi Deputy Commissioner Chhavi Ranjan had fraudulently bought a land plot owned by the Indian Army in Ranchi.

At the time of filing of the report ED survey was going on at the Nucleus Mall.