Top ED Officer Kapil Raj Resigns After Nabbing Two CMs

Kapil Raj, a senior officer of the Indian Revenue Service (IRS), has resigned from government service after nearly 16 years of tenure. The 45-year-old officer belonged to the 2009 batch of the IRS (Customs and Indirect Taxes).

As per an official order issued by the Ministry of Finance on Thursday, the President of India has accepted his resignation with effect from July 17.

Raj, who still had around 15 years left before reaching the superannuation age of 60, cited "personal reasons" for his decision to step down, according to reports.

His resignation marks yet another mid-career exit from the civil services, a trend that has seen a noticeable uptick in recent years.

Who is IRS Officer Kapil Raj, Who Quit Mid-Career?

Kapil Raj, a former Enforcement Directorate (ED) officer, is known for overseeing high-profile arrests, including those of two chief ministers under the anti-money laundering law. He served in the ED for nearly eight years and recently concluded his deputation with the agency. Before resigning, he was posted as an Additional Commissioner in the GST Intelligence wing in Delhi. A BTech graduate in Electronics, Raj hails from Saharanpur district in Uttar Pradesh.

Kapil Raj: The Man Behind Two Chief Ministers' Arrests

Kapil Raj played a key role in the arrest of Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren in January last year in connection with an alleged land scam. According to PTI, Raj was present at the Raj Bhavan in Ranchi when Soren met the Governor to tender his resignation. Soon after the meeting, Raj's ED team took Soren into custody.

In March, Kapil Raj arrived at the Flag Staff Road residence of then Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal following ED searches at his official bungalow. Kejriwal was arrested on March 21, with Raj present during the preparation and serving of the arrest memo to the AAP leader.

According to reports, Raj was responsible for drafting and reviewing interrogation questionnaires for several high-profile political figures. He was also known for personally visiting search locations to closely monitor investigations and boost his teams’ morale.

During his posting in Mumbai, Kapil Raj investigated several major money laundering cases, including those involving fugitive diamantaires Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi. He was also involved in high-profile probes related to DHFL and underworld associate Iqbal Mirchi.

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