The Enforcement Directorate (ED) today arrested JMM leader cum the MLA representative of Hemant Soren in Barhet, Pankaj Mishra, after his questioning for about eight hours, in an alleged money laundering case. After several reminders, Mishra today reached the ED Zonal office. Though Mishra reached the ED office his close confidante Dahu Yadav once again skipped the ED citing poor health of his mother.
On July 8, the ED had conducted searches at 19 locations linked with Mishra at Barhait, Rajmahal, Sahibganj and others and since then the ED had summoned Mishra for questioning, but every time he had skipped the ED summons citing poor health. Mishra turned up at Ed office for questioning on third summons.
Meanwhile, the security at ED office on Airport Road was enhanced with additional deployment of the CRPF. Wearing white shirt and blue trousers Pankaj Mishra entered the ED premises at 10.30 AM. He is the MLA representative of Chief Minister Hemant Soren and a key suspect of the money laundering case.
During the questioning, the ED explained to him the charges he is facing. He was asked to explain a viral voice clip where he is heard threatening a businessman of Pakur to stop him from participating in the auction held in Sahibganj. The ED asked if he could recognize whether it was his voice.
The ED also questioned Mishra about business as his property has witnessed abnormal growth years and in investment in mining and other activities.
The ED was also to question Yadav close aide Dahu yadav but he failed to turn up. “The ED had summoned Dahu Yadav for questioning. But he had to rush as his mother had fallen ill. I have informed this to the ED,” Dahu Yadav’s lawyer Shashikant Jaiswal said. Dahu Yadav has been interrogated by the ED for the past couple of days.
On July 8, the ED seized Rs 11.88 crore of cash kept in bank accounts of Pankaj Mishra, the political representative of Chief Minister Hemant Soren, and others as part of a money laundering investigation into alleged illegal mining in the State.
The action comes after the federal agency raided at least 19 locations in Sahibganj, Barhet, Rajmahal, Mirza Chauki and Barharwa of the State. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had then seized "incriminating" documents and Rs 5.34 crore "unaccounted" cash.
"Cash amounting to Rs 11.88 crore lying in 37 bank accounts belonging to Pankaj Mishra, Dahoo Yadav and their associates has been seized under the Prevention of Money laundering Act in the illegal mining case," the agency had said in a statement.
