VIJAY DEO JHA
Ranchi, July 26: The Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday produced Pankaj Mishra before the special PMLA court of Prabhat Kumar Sharma at Ranchi civil court after his six days police remand period was over.
The ED had requested the court to extend his police remand for another eight days. The ED told the court that his police remand was required as Pankaj Mishra was still withholding crucial information about the money trail and kickbacks related to illegal mining.
However, the agency got six days’ remand of Pankaj Mishra from the court to continue the investigation.
Earlier on July 19, the ED arrested him on charges of money laundering after hour-long questioning. Pankaj Mishra is the MLA representative of Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren and the ED is investigating his role as a prime member of the illegal mining syndicate in Santhal Pargana. On the next day, he was produced before the PMLA court where the ED secured his six days remand. Notably, the ED seized cash of Rs 11.88 Crore of Pankaj Mishra and his associates namely Dahu Yadav and others.