VIJAY DEO JHA
Ranchi, Oct 7: Kolkata-based businessman Yash Jalan is under the scanner of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the illegal stone mining case as the agency doubts his involvement in the scam.
Sources have said that there are clinching pieces of evidence to prosecute Yash Jalan and his company on the charge of money laundering. No wonder if his name figures in any of the supplementary prosecution complaints of the ED in this regard. Along with Amit Agrawal and Sanjay Choudhary, he is the third such businessman from Kolkata whose role is under the scanner of the agency in this illegal mining scam worth Rs 1000 crore.
He is the owner of M/s Marine, Infralink Logistics Pvt. Ltd and his inland vessel namely MV Infralink-III was seized by the agency in the river Ganga in Sahibganj on the charge of illegally carrying stone chips. He was operating the vessel along with Rajesh Yadav alias Dahu Yadav without an official permission. The ED has identified Dahu Yadav as a key associate of Pankaj Mishra who allegedly controlled illegal mining activities in Sahibganj and the surrounding area.
The internal probe of the ED has concluded that Yash Jalan too had his share in the proceeds of the crime generated out of the illegal transportation of the stone chips through his vessel. He had hired his vessel to Rajesh Yadav alias Dahu Yadav.
Well-placed sources have said that the ED has got documents related to an agreement between Yash Jalan and Dahu Yadav where they have agreed to a definite share against each transportation. The ED has also detected financial transactions that show how the proceeds of crime were transferred.
Notably, the ED has already stated in its prosecution complaint that huge consignments of stone chips were shipped from Sahibganj via river Ganga and the majority of the consignments had no mining challans.
The ED seized this vessel from Shukar Ghat in Sahibganj on July 26 where it was caught transporting stone chips without valid documents and permission. Later on, an FIR (84/2022) was registered at Muffasil police station against Yash Jalan under section 25/30 of the Bengal Ferries Act, 1885, and Section 188/282/420 of IPC.
The ED, in its investigation, has stated that Yash Jalan was doing illegal transportation habitually and knowingly and was illegally operating from Shukar Ghat without any permission. The illegal transportation generated huge proceeds of crime and investigation has established his involvement in money laundering activities.
To make a full-proof case against Yash Jalan, the ED recorded the statement of the caption of this vessel Ajijul Seikh. He disclosed that Bachhu Yadav looked after the operations of this vessel. Besides, Bachhu Yadav and Dahu Yadav are involved in the transportation of the trucks carrying stone chips illegally, without mining challans through the inland vessel. An extra amount is charged to these trucks. The ED recorded the statement of Anand Singh, the supervisor of the vessel who stated that the vessel was used for illegal transportation.
