Guwahati: Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren has been summoned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), who has asked him to appear for questioning on November 3 as part of their continuing investigation into an illegal mining case, sources said on Wednesday.
The agency has requested that Soren appear before its Ranchi regional office in Jharkhand by 11.30 am.
The ED’s action came almost a month after it seized a passbook and a chequebook, along with two signed checks, belonging to Soren from the residence of his alleged close associate Pankaj Mishra. Mishra, who served as Soren’s representative and had considerable influence over illegal mining operations and inland ferry services in Sahebganj and its surrounding areas through his associates, also enjoyed political clout. Mishra is currently being held in judicial custody for having control over the installation and use of several crushers installed across multiple mining sites in the Sahebganj district of Jharkhand, as well as the mining of stone chips and boulders.
The ED disclosed the information following the filing of a Prosecution Complaint under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, against Pankaj Mishra, Bachhu Yadav, and Prem Prakash before the special court in Ranchi, the capital of Jharkhand.
47 searches were carried out by the ED in various locations across India during the investigation, leading to the seizure of cash worth Rs 5.34 crore, the freezing of bank balances worth Rs 13.32 crore, the freezing of the inland vessel MV Infralink III, reg. No. WB 1809, five stone crushers, two Hyva trucks, as well as the seizure of incriminating documents and two AK 47 assault rifles.
Pankaj Mishra, Bachhu Yadav, and Prem Prakash were all taken into custody by the ED between July 19 and August 4. Presently in judicial custody are all of the accused people who have been detained thus far.
On the basis of a First Information Report filed by the Barharwa Police Station in Sahebganj under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, 1860, against Pankaj Mishra and others, the ED began an investigation into money laundering.
Later, a number of FIRs relating illicit mining that were filed under the IPC, the Explosive Substances Act, and the Arms Act were also included in the scheduled offence.
Over Rs 1,000 crore worth of unlawful mining-related proceeds have been found by the ED thus far in this case.
“PMLA Investigation revealed that Pankaj Mishra, who enjoys political clout, being the representative of the Chief Minister, MLA from Barhait, Sahebganj, Jharkhand controls the illegal mining businesses as well as inland ferry services in Sahebganj and its adjoining areas through his accomplices,” the ED had said earlier in a statement.
Proceeds of Crime amounting to Rs 42 crore approximately acquired by Pankaj Mishra have been identified till date, the ED has said.