VIJAY DEO JHA
Ranchi, July 18: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) continued questioning Dahu Yadav in the illegal stone mining case days after the ED sealed his bank account containing Rs 1.60 Crore cash. Dahu Yadav is a close associate of CM Hemant Soren’s MLA representative Pankaj Mishra. On Monday, two more money laundering suspects namely Bacchu Yadav and Nimai Sil joined the ED in the money laundering probe.
Dahu Yadav was first questioned by the ED on July 14. He said that he was no longer associated with Pankaj Mishra and claimed that he ended any personal or professional relationship with Pankaj Mishra following a dispute over the share in the interstate ferry service. But the ED rejected his claim and confronted him with documents indicating both are closely connected.
The ED asked whether or not he acquired two big chunks of land in front of the Bijli Ghat in Sahibganj having a net value worth Rs 30 Crore. The ED has further asked him about acres of land purchased by him at Sobhanpur Bhatta. The ED questioned him about other land properties he has acquired. The ED asked him about his company Singhwahini Transport and Logistics.
About Bacchu Yadav, the ED at this stage is investigating whether he purchased around 40 transport and other vehicles in his name as well as other persons namely Lallu Yadav, Suryanarayan Yadav, Sanjay Yadav (Gora), Sanjay Yadav (Kala), Mithilesh Yadav, Munni Devi, Aakash Yadav and others. The ED asked him whether he owns any stone mines and the records of production.
Nimai Chandra Sil, a native of Barhet is alleged to be a close associate of Pankaj Mishra. He jointly runs a stone mine at Taljhari in Sahibganj along with Rita Mishra, the wife of Pankaj Mishra. In 2005 he was arrested on the charge of abducting a government engineer from Godda named Yamuna Prasad Lacchiramka. It has been alleged that he is involved in the illegal transportation of coal and sand and has the blessings of Pankaj Mishra. The property of Nimai Chandra Sil has increased in the last two years.