The Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday raided several locations connected to Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren’s press advisor, officials of Sahibganj district and a former MLA. The searches were part of a money laundering probe into alleged illegal mining in Jharkhand.
Over 10 locations in Jharkhand and Rajasthan, including that of Abhishek Prasad alias Pintu– media advisor of state chief minister Hemant Soren– are being raided by the central agency under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
Other premises being raided are that of IAS, Sahibganj Deputy Collector Ramnivas Yadav (Rajasthan, Sahibganj), architect Binod Kumar, Khodaniya brothers (Sahibganj), former MLA Pappy Yadav (Deoghar), DSP Rajendra Dubey (Hazaribagh and other places), Abhay Saraogi (Kolkata) and sepoy Awdhesh Kumar.
An armed escort of central security forces went along with the ED officials.
The agency, since 2022, has been probing a trail of Rs 100 crore of “proceeds of crime” generated from illegal mining operations in the state.
The money laundering probe began after the ED raided Soren’s political aide Pankaj Mishra and his alleged associates in July, 2022 and covered 19 locations in Sahibganj, Barhet, Rajmahal, Mirza Chauki and Barharwa in Jharkhand to investigate alleged irregularities in the operation of toll plaza tenders and instances of illegal mining in the state.
The evidence collected during the investigation, including the statements of various persons, digital evidence and documents, revealed that the funds seized from the accused was derived from illegal mining being rampantly done in the Sahibganj area, including the forest area, the ED had said.
(With PTI Inputs)
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