VIJAY DEO JHA
Ranchi, Jan 4: As the illegal stone mining accused Pankaj Mishra has once again been shifted back to the RIMS for treatment, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has cautioned the RIMS authority to ensure that Pankaj Mishra doesn’t violate the jail manual.
The ED on Tuesday shot off a letter to the RIMS director explaining the previous incidents when Pankaj Mishra was allowed to frequently meet people at RIMS during his judicial custody. He also made phone calls to influence the investigation against him.
Well-placed sources confirmed the missive of the ED to the premier hospital which, coincidently, has been the abode of high-profile prisoners.
“It has been informed that the undertrial of illegal mining scam Pankaj Mishra currently in judicial custody has once again been taken to RIMS for treatment. On previous occasions when he was at the RIMS certain complaints of a serious nature were received that he had unfettered access to phones and people. He met government and police officials and private persons at the RIMS cottage. He was freely using mobile phones,” well-placed sources said.
“All these were not possible without the connivance of the RIMS. The agency has cautioned the RIMS to ensure that these things are not repeated this time. The RIMS administration will be liable for the violation of the jail manual and any attempt of the undertrial to influence the probe. In such a situation the agency will take action against RIMS,” well-placed sources added.
Pankaj Mishra is a senior JMM functionary and the MLA representative of the Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren. The ED arrested him in July last year in a Rs 1000 Crore illegal stone mining case. Less than a fortnight after his arrest he was shifted to RIMS owing to pancreatic problems.
He was treated at the paying ward of RIMS. The ED claimed that a number of police officials visited him at RIMS. Notably, the ED has submitted a detailed report to the PMLA court as well as the Jharkhand High Court regarding the alleged violation of the jail manual by Pankaj Mishra.
