CBI Court convicts 10 including former Jharkhand Minister Anosh Ekka in land acquisition case

The Court of Special Judge, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Ranchi, on Friday (August 29, 2025) convicted 10 accused namely including former Jharkhand Minister Anosh Ekka, in a land acquisition case in violation of the Chota Nagpur Tenancy (CNT) Act.

The other nine accused are Menon Ekka, Kartik Prabhat, Raj Kishore Singh, Firoz Akhtar, Brijesh Mishra, Anil Kumar, Manilal Mahta, Brajesh Mahto and Parshuram Karketta.

The central agency in its official press statement stated that CBI had registered the instant case on 11.08.2010 against Hari Narain Rai and Anosh Ekka and others in compliance of the order passed by the Jharkhand High Court at Ranchi in Writ Petition (Public Interest Litigation) No.4700 of 2008 and WP(PIL) No. 2252 of 2009.

According to the CBI, It was alleged in the FIR that accused possessed disproportionate assets and deals with the acquisition of land in violation of CNT Act by way of forging addresses.

“Anosh Ekka purchased huge plots of land in the name of his wife Menon Ekka in Ranchi District by spending the total amount of ₹1,18,03,683/- during 2006, 2007 and 2008 from members of scheduled tribes,“ CBI said in the press statement. 

It added, “The sellers of the plots of land obtained permission from the Land Reforms Deputy. Collector LRDC [Land Record Deputy Collector], Ranchi. The LRDCs, their staff and the circle officers connived with Menon Ekka and Anosh Ekka and in spite of the facts, they recommended transfer of land to her.”

CBI also stated that the LRDC obtained favourable report from the staff posted under him for transfer of land. After completion of investigation CBI filed charge-sheet on 10.12.2012 against 16 accused persons.

Argument on the point of sentence will be done on the next Date of hearing i.e. August 30, 2025.