The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday launched a massive search operation at 14 locations across Haryana as a part of its investigation into a multi-crore VAT scam.

The raids are underway by ED’s Chandigarh Zonal office. The raids targeted three Haryana Civil Service officers and several private individuals suspected of involvement in the scam.

The three Haryana Civil Service officers being raided by the ED are Ashok Sukhija, Narender Kumar Ranga and Gopi Chand Chaudhary. According to sources, the search operation is aimed at unearthing evidence of money laundering and other financial irregularities linked to the scam. The ED officials are scouring the premises for documents and records related to the alleged fraud.

The Value Added Tax (VAT) scam is believed to have caused a significant financial loss to the state exchequer, with estimates suggesting a shortfall of around Rs 70 crore.

The ED’s crackdown comes after the Haryana Police registered a First Information Report (FIR) against the Haryana Shahri Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP) and other accused in connection with the scam.