Jharkhand illegal mining case: ED raids locations linked to CM's press advisor, others
Since 2022, the agency has been probing a trail of ₹100 crore of ‘proceeds of crime’ generated from illegal mining operations in the state
Security personnel and officials at the Jharkhand zonal headquarters of the Enforcement Directorate in Ranchi. Photo: PTI
The Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday (January 3) raided locations of Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren's press advisor, officials of Sahibganj district, and a former MLA as part of a money laundering probe into alleged illegal mining in the state, official sources said.
About a dozen locations in the state are being raided by the central agency under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), they said.
The premises of Abhishek Prasad alias Pintu, the Collector and Superintendent of Police of Sahibganj district, ex-MLA Pappu Yadav, some jail department officials, and a police constable are being searched, the sources said.
The agency, since 2022, has been probing a trail of ₹100 crore of "proceeds of crime" generated from illegal mining operations in the state.
Last week, in another case linked to an alleged land scam, the ED issued summons for the seventh time to Hemant Soren, and told the chief minister that this was his last chance to record his statement.
Soren, however, has called the summons “illegal”, and told the agency in a letter that he had already shared details of the properties he owned. In the letter, he is alleged to have accused the agency of making a media trial of the case, and of making attempts to destabilise his government.
(With inputs from agencies)