VIJAY DEO JHA
Ranchi, Jan 18: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has lodged a fresh FIR in the illegal stone mining scam in Sahibganj involving Pankaj Mishra as a key conspirator. Mishra is the MLA representative of Jharkhand chief Minister Hemant Soren and is in jail currently.
Well-placed sources said that the ED has taken over the investigation of an FIR lodged at the Girwabadi police station in Sahibganj. The FIR bearing No. 181/22 was lodged on July 26th last year under Section 379 and 414 of IPC.
During a search and survey operation conducted in Sahibganj on July 25, the ED had frozen two illegally operated stone crushers of Maa Amba Stone Works operated by Bishnu Yadav and Pavitra Yadav. Besides, the ED also caught three HYVA trucks (BRG 10GC 1352, BR07 GB 2155 and BR 10GC 2038) found at Mauza Majhikola, Sahebganj carrying illegally quarried stone chips and boulders without having any mining challans. The FIR was lodged under instruction of ED.
However, Pankaj Mishra was not a named accused in the FIR lodged at Girwabadi police station. But the investigation revealed that all was done under instruction of Pankaj Mishra and his associates.
The ED said in a survey/inspection of the mining sites at Sahebganj District in July the ED spotted illegal mining at Plot No. 69P, 70P, 71P, 73P and others at Mouja Simaria, Anchal- Mandro in Sahibganj. The said mining area had an estimated mined area of about 5 Acre. Local people confirmed and also Bishnu Yadav who is the associate of Pankaj Mishra claimed that the said illegal was done by Pankaj Mishra.
