India

ED Searches Locations Linked To Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren’s Aide In Illegal Mining Case
ED Searches Locations Linked To Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren’s Aide In Illegal Mining Case

New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) early on Wednesday conducted searches at locations linked to Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren’s press advisor and other officers over their alleged involvement in the illegal mining case, news agency PTI reported quoting officials.

About a dozen locations in the state are being raided by the central agency under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, they said. The premises of Abhishek Prasad alias Pintu, collector and SP of Sahibganj district, ex-MLA Pappu Yadav, some jail department officials and a police constable are being searched, the sources said. The central probe agency has issued summons to the Jharkhand CM multiple times seeking his availability for questioning in the matter.

Notably, this comes a day after Jharkhand Mukti Morcha MLA Sarfaraz Ahmad resigned from his membership of the Assembly, triggering speculations in the state political circles as it came just a day after the ED issued its seventh summons to the Chief Minister.
In response to the ED’s sixth summons on December 12, Soren had sent a letter to the agency, stating that in the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)’s preliminary inquiry – based on a complaint lodged with the Lokpal – all his assets and those of his family had been disclosed.
Soren also said he was being called in for questioning by the ED only because “he doesn’t belong to any political party in power at the Centre”. “Issuance of repeated summons is actually malice and part of a political conspiracy to destabilise a democratically elected government. The undersigned shall readily provide any information or documents which you may bona fide require and which are not already available with you, provided you are entitled to seek the same in accordance with law,” the CM wrote to the ED.

On its part, the ED has maintained that “the issue is not about disclosure of personal assets of Hemant Soren but about the investigation of the assets representing proceeds of crime (in land scam case)”.

The agency has arrested 14 people in the case, including 2011-batch IAS officer Chhavi Ranjan, who had earlier served as the director of the state social welfare department and deputy commissioner of Ranchi. The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha leader was questioned by the ED in November last year in another money laundering case linked to alleged illegal mining in the state.

OB Bureau
Share
Published by
OB Bureau
1 year ago

Recent Posts

Khandagiri Sub-Registrar Biswajit Pradhan Suspended Over ‘Illegal’ Part-Plot Registration

Bhubaneswar: Khandagiri Sub-Registrar Biswajit Pradhan has been suspended for his alleged involvement in illegal part-plot… Read More

4 hours ago

Odisha To Include Class IX, X Students Under Midday Meal Scheme

Bhubaneswar: Class IX and X students in Odisha will be included under the PM Poshan (midday… Read More

4 hours ago

Harshvardhan Rane Ready To Fast For 11 Days To Convince Makers For ‘Sanam Teri Kasam’ Sequel

Mumbai: After witnessing the impressive box-office collection and overwhelming response of fans for his film… Read More

5 hours ago

Odisha To Combine Mamata & PM Matru Vandana Schemes, ₹12K On Birth Of Girl Child

Bhubaneswar: The Mohan Majhi government has decided to co-brand and implement Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana… Read More

5 hours ago

‘Blacken Their Face, Parade Them On A Donkey’: Mukesh Khanna On Ranveer Allahbadia Row

Mumbai: Veteran actor Mukesh Khanna, known for his bold statements, called for a strict action… Read More

5 hours ago

Is Salman Khan & Atlee’s Much-Hyped Action-Drama With Rs 500 Cr Budget Shelved?

Mumbai: After directing Shah Rukh Khan in ‘Jawan’ and Varun Dhawan in ‘Baby John’, there… Read More

6 hours ago