The Enforcement Directorate on Thursday arrested Indian Administrative Service officer of the Chhattisgarh cadre Sameer Vishnoi and two others in a money laundering case, reported PTI, citing officials.

The other two persons arrested in the case are Sunil Agrawal, a businessman from the Indramani Group, and Laxmikant Tiwari, a relative of absconding businessman Suryakant Tiwari.

Vishnoi, who is the chief executive officer of the government-run Chhattisgarh Infotech Promotion Society, was questioned by the Enforcement Directorate at its office in Raipur on Wednesday.

The arrests came after the central agency conducted multiple raids in Chhattisgarh on Tuesday in the money laundering case that pertains to alleged extortion of levy from coal and mining transporters in the state by a nexus of government officials, businessmen and private entities.

In its raids, the agency has seized Rs 4 crore cash and jewellery.

The Enforcement Directorate has also sealed the house of the IAS officer and Raigarh District Collector Ranu Sahu as she was not available during the raids.

Sahu has told the central agency officials that she was undergoing a medical procedure and has assured cooperation in the investigation, PTI reported citing unidentified officials.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Wednesday described the searches as “political raids”, reported IANS. He said that central investigating agencies should not be misused for political mileage or to defame the state government, its officials and politicians.