New Delhi/Kochi (PTI): The Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday conducted searches at multiple premises linked to non-banking finance company Manappuram Finance in Kerala as part of a money laundering investigation against it, official sources said.

They said the raids are being undertaken to gather evidences related to allegations of collecting public deposits worth over Rs 150 crore by the company in contravention of Reserve Bank of India (RBI) guidelines.

A total of four premises, including the headquarters of the company in Thrissur and those of its promoters are being searched, they said.

An email sent to the company did not elicit an immediate response.

The agency, according to sources, suspects "large-scale" cash transactions by the company and is looking at gathering documents and recording statements of the company executives in this context.

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Ranchi: Champai Soren, a prominent figure in Jharkhand’s statehood movement, is contesting the 2024 assembly elections from Seraikela, a seat he has consistently held since 1991.

However, there is a surprising shift in his political journey this year. Having resigned from the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) earlier this year, Soren is now representing the BJP, a move that could significantly impact the electoral dynamics in the state.

Soren’s switiching is seen as a strategic benefit for the saffron party, which has been working to expand its appeal among Jharkhand’s tribal communities, a demographic traditionally aligned with the JMM. His departure from the JMM, led by Shibu Soren and his son Hemant Soren, was fueled by dissatisfaction with the state government’s policies, which he claimed had failed to address tribal concerns.

Also known as "Jharkhand’s Tiger" for his instrumental role in the statehood movement of the 1990s, Champai Soren has respect and influence among tribal voters. His decision to switch the party could be a turning point in the BJP’s efforts to gain a stronger hold in a state where tribal votes often decide the outcome.