VIJAY DEO JHA
Ranchi, Nov 18: A few of the bureaucrats are likely to face the heat of the money laundering probe after Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren passed the buck of illegal stone mining and other illegal activities on them.
The ED on Thursday questioned Hemant Soren regarding the illegal stone mining in Sahibganj and whether he was acquainted with accused persons and gave them protection.
Hemant Soren who is also the mines minister was particularly asked about Pankaj Mishra and Dahu Yadav who are the prime accused of the illegal stone mining. The Chief Minister said that he was not aware of Pankaj Mishra involved in the illegal mining and he never hindered Sahibganj district administration and police from acting against illegal mining activities.
Pankaj Mishra is his MLA representative, and he is in jail in this case. The CM gave a similar reply about Dahu Yadav who along with Pankaj Mishra is involved in the illegal transportation of stone chips and boulders. The CM fixed the onus on Sahibganj DC Ramniwas Yadav for taking appropriate actions and said that as Chief Minister he was bound by the law. Under rules related to minor minerals, DC and SP of a district are primarily responsible for preventing and taking actions against illegal mining. No wonder, the ED may quiz both the district officials.
During questioning the ED also shared with him details of how Pankaj Mishra made phone calls to several persons from the jail. The ED pointed out that Pankaj Mishra used the phone out of his proximity with the CM, Hemant Soren denied this.
The CM also denied that he either knew or met powerbroker Prem Prakash from whose residence the ED had seized two police weapons namely AK 47 during the raid. Both weapons were allotted to two cops Mukesh Kumar and Shyamal Horo. They were deployed for the security of the Chief Minister, but they were working as the bodyguard of Prem Prakash. When asked how two of his security personnel were working for Prem Prakash when the CM was not acquainted with Prem Prakash, the CM said that the DGP of the state police should be asked about this. However, the DGP is not directly involved in the CM security but the CM passing the buck has triggered several speculations.
Sources said that after a few weeks the ED would summon the CM for the next round of questioning and officials will also be called.
