VIJAY DEO JHA
Ranchi, Aug 3: Abhishek Prasad alias Pintu, the media advisor of Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, turned up before the Ranchi office of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday for questioning in the illegal mining case.
The ED had summoned him last month with a direction to join the probe on August 1. However, it was stated that Abhishek Prasad citing the engagement in the budget session of the assembly sought at least a fortnight time to join the probe. But the ED denied giving such a long extension and said that he should join the probe at the earliest.
Abhishek Prasad has been associated with the first JMM family and CM Hemant Soren for the last many years.
Earlier, the ED arrested Hemant Soren’s MLA representative Pankaj Mishra for running a syndicate of illegal mining in districts of Santhal Pargana. He was arrested on July 19 and taken on police remand. Sources said that during the questioning Pankaj Mishra referred to his name in some unknown contexts and said that Abhishek Prasad used to instruct him. However, Pankaj Mishra so far has not named any top politician as the beneficiary of the illegal mining but he has certainly named Abhishek Prasad.
Abhishek Prasad is known as a close confidante of Chief Minister Hemant Soren and his family and he is said to be enjoying control in the administrative matter. During the Raghubar Das government a stone mining lease was issued in his name. Shiv Shankar Sharma who filed a PIL against Hemant Soren, Basant Soren and others named him also. The petitioner alleged that Sorens and their associates invested and diverted their unaccounted money through various shell companies.
