VIJAY DEO JHA
Ranchi, June 21: The state mining department is said to have issued a show-cause notice to mining officers of some of the districts on the charges of their failure to stop illegal mining during their previous posting.
The interesting thing is that all these mining officers were summoned by the Enforcement Directorate in the money laundering case against suspended mining secretary Pooja Singhal. Coincidentally, the DMOs who have been issued with show-cause are guessed to have revealed useful and vital information before the agency.
They were questioned about people involved and patronizing illegal mining and who else are beneficiaries of the proceeds of crime. The questioning was mostly related to Pooja Singhal and her chartered accountant Suman Singh.
The department is also learnt to have decided to start departmental proceedings against them if their explanations are not found satisfactory.
One such DMO has been charged for his failure to stop illegal mining which caused a substantial loss of revenue to the state as well as degradation of the environment. The said DMO had lodged over 100 FIRs against illegal mining during his tenure. The concerned district administration and the mining department are of the opinion that the number of FIRs itself reflects the inability of the concerned officer to stop the illegal mining.
Another DMO has been served the show cause for his failure to stop illegal sand and stone mining during his previous posting. A third DMO earlier summoned by the ED was warned by his seniors for leaving the district headquarters without permission. There are some other mining department officials who are facing similar situations.
Caught between the mining department and the Enforcement Directorate, some of the district mining officials have turned apprehensive about their future amid an ongoing money-laundering probe.
So far, the ED has questioned Nadeem Safi (Khunti), Gopal Kumar Das (Chatra), Nishant Abhishek (West Singhbhum), Sanjeev Kumar (Ranchi), Sunny Kumar (Saraikela-Kharsawan), Nitesh (Ramgarh), Bibhuti Kumar (Sahibganj), Krishna Kumar Kisku (Dumka), Pradeep Sah (Pakur).
