VIJAY DEO JHA
Ranchi, Jan. 23: Sahibganj DC Ramniwas Yadav, undergoing interrogation by the ED for Rs 1000 crore illegal mining, is said to have denied the charges that he shared a confidential inquiry report of cargo ship accident in the river Ganga with illegal stone mining accused Pankaj Mishra, who is the MLA representative of Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren.
The ED questioning of Yadav that began today in connection with Rs. 1000 crore illegal stone mining and transportation scam is still continuing.
However, the federal anti money agency has said that there is sufficient evidence against the DC.
Notably, the then Commissioner of Santhal Pargana Chandra Mohan Kashyap had sought a report from the Sahibganj DC after a cargo ship illegally carrying illegally mined stone chips met with an accident in March last year. Unsatisfied with the report, the commissioner had sought some clarifications from the Sahibganj DC. The ED has alleged that the DC also shared details of the additional queries made by the commissioner.
Investigation revealed that Pankaj Mishra had made a phone call to the Santhal Pargana commissioner on June 2nd last year from his mobile number 9835933904.
Pankaj Mishra, however, has denied that he was involved in the illegal mining and controlled ferry service on the river Ganga which is a main route of the transportation of the legally mined stone chips. But this telephonic conversation is proof of his involvement. It is established that Pankaj Mishra carried and patronized illegal mining and its transportations.
The ED said that Pankaj Mishra made a call to the then Commissioner and exerted his dominance and misused his power. In his conversation, Mishra clearly told the Commissioner that he is operating the ferries. He further insisted the commissioner not to pursue the reports of the DC of Sahibganj and seek further clarification which was forwarded to him.
One inland vessel was operating illegally beyond hours, at night when it met with an accident. Several trucks were drowned and it also resulted in loss of several lives. An enquiry report was prepared in the matter by the district administration.
However, the DC is learnt to have denied having shared a confidential report with Pankaj Mishra, the ED has said that the agency has proof regarding this. The ED also grilled him over the inquiry report where he denied that ferry service operated beyond scheduled hours.
The DC was confronted with the statement of Chandra Mohan Kashyap who is now retired. Kashyap confirmed that Pankaj Mishra had called him one day and told him that he owns the inland vessel and also runs it and indirectly insisted him not to seek any further clarification on the report forwarded by the DC Sahebganj.
Kashyap had told the ED that an inquiry report was sought by the Transport Department of Jharkhand hence he sought a report from the Sahibganj DC. The report of the DC was not satisfactory. Hence, he further sought clarifications on some points including causes of the accident and the persons responsible for the accident. But the Sahibganj district administration did not give any satisfactory report. He could not send it to the Transport Department since he retired; the district did not give him the report.
