The Supreme Court on Friday granted bail to suspended Ranchi Deputy Commissioner Chhavi Ranjan in the Jharkhand Army Land Scam case, which involves allegations of money laundering and fake land records.
Ranjan was arrested on May 4, 2023, by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and has been in jail since then. The ED accused him of helping private individuals create fake land ownership documents for certain plots in Ranchi, including land recorded in the name of the Indian Army.
A Bench of Justice Surya Kant and Justice N. Kotiswar Singh granted Ranjan bail, overturning the Jharkhand High Court’s order that had earlier denied it. The Supreme Court noted that the trial had already begun and was likely to take a long time to finish. So far, only five out of thirty-one witnesses have been examined.
The Court pointed out that other accused persons in the case were already on bail and that Ranjan had no past criminal record. It said there was no sign that he would try to influence witnesses or tamper with evidence, and if he did, his bail would be cancelled.
“Considering the time he has already spent in jail and without commenting on the allegations, we direct that the petitioner be released on bail,” the Bench said.
As a condition, the Court directed Ranjan not to leave Jharkhand without prior permission from the trial court. He must attend every hearing and cooperate fully to ensure the case proceeds smoothly.
Ranjan was suspended from his government post after his arrest. The ED claims he misused his position to help others manipulate official land records to secure loans and benefit from the scam.
The Supreme Court’s order gives Ranjan relief after more than 17 months in custody. The case, titled Chhavi Ranjan versus Union of India (SLP (Crl) No. 12137 of 2025), will continue in the trial court in Ranchi.
