V NARADA
Ranchi, April 8: The Sahibganj police on Friday evening lodged an FIR against Vishnu Yadav alias Chhotu Yadav for illegally conducting stone mining in Sahibganj.
The FIR was lodged at the Jirwabari police station under section 3, 4 and 5 of the Explosive Substance Act, section 175, 379 and 414 of the IPC besides Jharkhand Mineral (Prevention of Illegal Mining) Transportation and Storage Rules 2017.
The FIR was lodged after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted a field investigation of the illegal mining by Pankaj Mishra and Vishnu Yadav on Nimbu Pahad on April 5 and sent the report to the Sahibganj SP for action against the continuous illegal stone mining on the hill.
However, the FIR does not name Pankaj Mishra, who had been specifically named by the ED in its report for being enaged in illegal mining activities alongwith Vishnu Yadav.
The ED is investigating the illegal stone mining scam to the tune of Rs 1000 Crore in which the agency last year arrested Pankaj Mishra, local criminal Bacchu Yadav and power broker Prem Prakash. Two other accused Dahu Yadav and his brother Sunil Yadav are absconding.
Pankaj Mishra is the MLA representative of Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren. Vishnu Yadav is his associate in illegal mining. The FIR was lodged by the district mining officer Bibhuti Kumar who himself is under scanner of the ED for allowing illegal mining.
The ED, in its report, had stated that the illegal mining was found to be taking place at point number 8, 78, 79, 80 and 91 under mauja Simaria and Chua by Abhay Yadav alias Pintu Yadav. In mauja Simaria Vishnu Yadav was allegedly conducting illegal mining at point number 23, 69, 70 and 71. Huge deposits of explosives for detonation were found planted at this mining site. These explosives were illegally procured for mining.
The ED which has already done an extensive investigation into this matter is set to take up this FIR for investigation. Well-placed sources in the agency said that illegal mining was done on the instruction of Pankaj Mishra who is currently in jail.
Now the ED has decided to include procurement of explosives for mining under the purview of its investigation.
