The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has seized cash amounting to Rs 11.88 crore lying in 37 bank accounts belonging to Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren’s close aide Pankaj Mishra, another accused Dahoo Yadav and their associates under Prevention of Money laundering Act (PMLA) in the Jharkhand illegal mining case.
Cash and bank balance of Rs 36.58 crore, illegally generated from mining has been seized so far by ED in the case and further investigation is in progress, the ED said. “A trail of further Rs 100 crore of ‘proceeds of crime’ generated from illegal mining has also been unearthed and is being worked upon,” the agency said in its statement.
Earlier, the ED had conducted searches at 19 locations in Sahibganj, Barhet, Rajmahal, Mirza Chauki and Barharwa resulting in seizure of various incriminating documents and Rs 5.34 crore unaccounted cash on July 8 as part of PMLA probe into alleged irregularities in operation of toll plaza tenders and instances of illegal mining in State.
“During this search operation, ED has also seized five stone crushers that were being illegally operated from site and also five illegal firearm cartridges,” the agency said.
The evidence collected during the course of investigation including statements of various persons, digital evidence and documents revealed that the seized cash/bank balance is derived from illegal mining being rampantly done in Sahibganj area including the forest area, it said.
In May, searches at 36 locations connected with the MNREGA scam were conducted under PMLA resulting in seizure of Rs 19.76 crore cash.
The searched premises included premises of IAS officer and State Mining Secretary Pooja Singhal and her associates.