VIJAY DEO JHA
Ranchi, Nov 17: As Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren questioned the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for projecting a figure of Rs 1,000 Crore as heist amount of the illegal stone mining scam in Sahibganj, the agency has stated that its findings are based on facts and documentary evidences.
Chief Minister Hemant Soren who is also the minister of the mining department released a letter addressed to assistant director of the ED Deovrat Jha on Thursday and questioned the claim of the agency. CM said that it was impossible to evade royalty of Rs.1000 Crores in two years in Sahibganj.
Well placed sources said that they are not investigating royalty theft only. “The agency is investigating how illegal stone mining and transportation have caused loss of revenue to the government coupled with extortion of levies. Royalty is a very small part. It is only a peanut,” sources said.
The point is not that, for instance, somebody illegally mined stone chips worth Rs. One Crore and did not pay the royalty amount.
Sources further added that the mining department has neither idea nor document to ascertain the extent of rampant illegal mining that took place in Sahibganj. “The agency has conducted field investigations, examined all documents and the statements of independent witnesses and officials. The scam is worth Rs. 1000 Crore and the finding is backed by investigation. How can they deny that Pankaj Mishra and others were not indulged in the illegal stone mining? The department should have checked its own circulars and orders to understand the matter,” sources retorted allegations coming from the CM of Jharkhand. Pankaj Mishra is the MLA representative of Jharkhand CM and he is currently in jail in the illegal mining scam.
Rule 54 (5) of Jharkhand Minor Mineral Concession Rule (JMMCR) -2017 defines fine and punishment
A provision has been made in the JMMCR)-2017 under the rule 54 (5) which states that if a person/ vehicle is caught with illegally excavated minerals, the concerned person/vehicle will be charged the double price of minerals besides royalty. But in case illegal mining activities go on undetected the government has to suffer the loss of price of said quantity of mineral, fine and royalty.
CM Hemant Soren released the letter a few hours before he turned up before the zonal office of the ED in Ranchi for questioning in the illegal stone mining case. His questioning is going on.
