Jharkhand: Suspended Cong MLA appears before ED in cash haul case

Suspended Congress MLA Irfan Ansari on Monday appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) here in connection with the cash seizure case.

Ansari reached zonal office of the federal agency here around 11 am in connection with its investigation into the cash seized from a car in which he was travelling along with party MLAs Rajesh Kachchap and Naman Bixal, an official said.

The three MLAs were arrested by the West Bengal Police after Rs 49 lakh in cash was seized from their vehicle in Howrah district in July last year.

“I would be able to say anything after returning from the ED office. But, one thing I can say that the allegations which have been levelled against me are baseless. I am not involved in any conspiracy to topple the government,” Ansari told media persons before entering the office.

Earlier, the ED had summoned Ansari on January 13 but he had sought two weeks of time to appear before it.

On December 24, ED had questioned Congress MLA Kumar Jaimangal Singh alias Anup Singh for more than nine hours in connection with the case.

Singh had lodged a complaint with Ranchis Argora police station, alleging that the three MLAs had offered him Rs 10 crore and a ministerial berth for toppling the JMM-led Jharkhand government.

Singh had claimed that he was not summoned as an accused but as a complainant in the case.

The ED is investigating the money laundering aspect of the case.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Federal staff and is auto-published from a syndicated feed.)