ED raids four states over money-laundering probe linked to Ranchi RSS petrol-bomb attack

On the night of June 16-17, unidentified individuals hurled petrol bombs at the RSS state office in Ranchi’s Nirvanpur locality, setting the roof ablaze while leaving the entrance largely unharmed and causing no injuries. The Enforcement Directorate has now raided locations in Delhi, Jharkhand, Bihar and Karnataka as part of a money-laundering probe connected to the incident. Officials say the Shahzad Bhatta Network, a Pakistan-backed terror outfit recently labeled as such by the Ministry of Home Affairs, is suspected of financing the attack.

The network, allegedly run by Lahore-based gangster-turned-terrorist Shahzad Bhatti, is believed to operate from Dubai with ISI support. Three suspects—Saif Ansari, Aman Ansari and later Sayam Sujan—were arrested, with intelligence indicating one had spent six months in Dubai and may be in contact with a handler known as “Rana Sahab.” The investigation builds on a National Investigation Agency case that has been examining the conspiracy since June.