Raipur, Jan 17 (IANS) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested Shashank Chopda (also referred to as Shashank Chopra), a partner in M/s Mokshit Corporation, in connection with a major money laundering case linked to alleged irregularities in the procurement of medical equipment and reagents by the Chhattisgarh Medical Services Corporation Limited (CGMSCL) and the Directorate of Health Services (DHS), an official said.

According to an official press release from the ED’s Raipur Zonal Office dated January 17, 2026, Chopda was arrested on January 14, 2026, under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.

He was presented before the Special Court in Raipur on January 15, 2026, where the court granted the ED four days’ custody till January 19, 2026, for further interrogation, it said.

The investigation stems from an FIR and chargesheet filed by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) and Economic Offences Wing (EOW), Raipur, against CGMSCL officials, DHS personnel, and private entities including Mokshit Corporation.

It is alleged that Chopda, in collusion with state officials, manipulated tender processes, fabricated demands, and supplied medical equipment and reagents at highly inflated prices to CGMSCL.

This caused substantial financial loss to the state exchequer while generating illegal gains for the accused and their associates, it further said. The ED probe revealed that proceeds of crime (POC) were generated through the supply of scheduled offence items — medical equipment and reagents — at exorbitant rates.

The accused allegedly incorporated multiple entities and firms, entered into bogus service agreements for training and maintenance, and withdrew substantial amounts in cash, which were then used for layering and acquiring assets.

Earlier searches and seizure actions under Section 17 of the PMLA led to the attachment or freezing of assets worth more than Rs 43 crore, including bank balances, fixed deposits, shares, vehicles, and other properties.

Incriminating documents and digital devices recovered during these operations exposed diversion, layering, and concealment of proceeds of crime, said the press note.

The case is part of a larger alleged scam estimated in the range of Rs 500-660 crore, involving over-invoicing of items like EDTA blood collection tubes (purchased at rates far exceeding market prices) and diagnostic machines.

Previous raids in 2025 targeted multiple locations across Chhattisgarh, seizing luxury vehicles and freezing properties linked to Mokshit Corporation.

Further investigation is ongoing to trace the full money trail, identify additional conspirators, and uncover the extent of the financial irregularities.

The ED’s action underscores its crackdown on corruption in public procurement, particularly in the healthcare sector, amid ongoing scrutiny of state-level tender manipulations.

This development follows earlier arrests by state agencies and chargesheets filed in 2025, highlighting systemic issues in medical supply chains during the relevant period.

–IANS

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