VIJAY DEO JHA
Ranchi, May 12: The Enforcement Directorate has called Alok Sarawgi for questioning to know about the sale of the land by his company to Abhishek Jha.
He is the son of builder Govind Sarawgi who owns Panchvati Construction. The ED on Thursday morning carried out a search operation on the premise of Ranchi-based builder Govind Sarawgi in connection with the money laundering probe against Jharkhand cader IAS Pooja Singhal and her husband Abhishek Jha besides charted accountant Suman Singh among others.
Besides the involvement of Pooja Singhal in the MANREGA scam in the Khunti district, the enforcement agency is also investigating whether or not the slush money was laundered during the construction of the Pulse Hospital.
Sources have confirmed that the Pulse Hospital is now at the center stage of the money laundering probe.
The hospital is owned by Abhishek Jha and he had purchased land from the builder Govind Sarawgi. The land itself is controversial as it is said to be a tribal land of bhuihari nature that cannot be sold and purchased. Suman Singh in his statement has said that he had paid Rs. three crores to Sarawgi as payment against the land. He said that he made a payment on the instruction of Pooja Singhal.
At 6:30 a.m., as many as five officials of ED came to the residence of Govind Sarawgi on Kanke road and demanded documents of the land besides sale deeds. They also question Govind Sarawgi who is said to be not keeping good health. Govind Sarawgi belongs to a builder family and he owns Panchvati Construction.
ED officials also questioned his son Alok Sarawgi and inquired how they sold land to Abhishek Jha to construct the Pulse Hospital and how much they were paid. Credible sources said Sarawgis claimed before ED that they had purchased land from a businessman Rungta. The ED has claimed that during the raid, many incriminating documents were seized which are being examined.
