New Delhi [India], July 19 (ANI): The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday arrested Pankaj Mishra, a close aide of Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, in an illegal mining case, official sources said.
Mishra was arrested under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.
The move comes days after the agency seized cash amounting to Rs 11.88 crore lying in 37 bank accounts belonging to Mishra in the case. The seized amount belonged to Mishra, one Dahoo Yadav and their associates.
Earlier, ED had conducted searches at 19 locations in Sahibganj, Barhet, Rajmahal, Mirza Chauki and Barharwar in Jharkhand resulting in the seizure of various incriminating documents and Rs 5.34 crore unaccounted cash on July 8.
During this search operation, ED had said, it seized five stone crushers that were being illegally operated from the Site and also five illegal firearm cartridges.
“The evidences collected during the course of investigation including statements of various persons, digital evidences and documents revealed that the seized cash and bank balance is derived from illegal mining being rampantly done in the Sahibganj area including the forest area,”…
