VIJAY DEO JHA
Ranchi, May 23: The Enforcement Directorate on Monday is learnt to have confronted District Mining Officer of Sahibganj Bibhuti Kumar with a volley of questions related to the illegal mining in the district.
He was also asked to explain the contexts of much digital evidence retrieved from the digital devices of the accused and suspects. This includes some conversations that look private but are suspected to pertain to the money laundering case in which the secretary of the mining department Pooja Singhal has been arrested.
The ED asked why illegal mining went uncontrolled in his district in the last couple of years and whether or not he was aware of this.
The ED officials also questioned him in presence of his boss Pooja Singhal. He was asked to explain his tenure in Sahibganj and how long he has been serving here. The ED officials gave him a list to verify the name of persons who have allegedly received favour in granting stone mining leases.
He was further asked to share whatever he knew about illegal transportation of stone chips to Bihar via river Ganga. On the night of March 24, a cargo ship carrying stone chips-laden trucks met with an accident. Officials interrogated him about whether or not he was aware of illegal transportation and actions taken by him against the mining mafia in the past. He denied that any illegal ghat on river Ganga on the Sahibganj side ever operated for the purpose of illegal transportation of stone chips. He said that with whatsoever police force under his disposal he remained vigilant to stop any illegal mining and transportation. He was speechless when asked whether or not any transportation chalan was issued to those trucks which met with an accident.
Officials deeply questioned his concerns and connection in the bureaucratic and political circle.
He was asked to answer in true or false about some specific complaints against him related to illegal mining that were made by private persons. There were questions related to the theft of royalty through illegal mining and transportation.
