VIJAY DEO JHA
Ranchi, July 27: The Enforcement Directorate identified a couple of illegal stone mines operated by Vishnu Yadav, his brother Pavitra Yadav and others at mauza Simaria in Sahibganj.
Besides this, the ED officials have detected another illegal stone mine at mauza Demba in the district. Sources said that Vishnu Yadav was operating illegal mining at Demba.
The ED has disclosed that at Demba the mining exceeded far beyond the leased area. The quantification of the excess illegal mining done at Demba has been estimated at around 37.5 million cubic feet which have remained undeclared and concealed.
The ED said that the processed value of the mined stone chips/boulders is estimated to be around Rs 45 Crore. Sources said that Vishnu Yadav is primarily involved in the illegal mining at Demba. Vishnu Yadav is a close associate and business partner of Pankaj Mishra who is the MLA representative of Chief Minister Hemant Soren.
The ED is investigating the illegal mining and extortion racket. In this connection, the ED recently arrested Pankaj Mishra. A team of ED officials is in Sahibganj to investigate the case.
In this connection, the ED seized one inland vessel M. V. Infralink- III (registration No. WB 1809) during a search conducted on July 26. This inland vessel was illegally operated without having any permit from Sukargarh Ghat in the river Ganga by Rajesh Yadav alias Dahu Yadav in collusion with Pankaj Mishra and others for transporting illegally mined stone chips/stone boulders. The vessel is worth Rs. 30 Crore. In this regard, an FIR (84/2022) has been lodged by the police against the owner of the vessel under Section 25/30 of Bengal Ferries Act, 1885 and Section 188/282/420 of I.P.C.
Earlier, the ED froze two illegally operated stone crushers of Maa Amba Stone Works operated by Vishnu Yadav and Pavitra Yadav. Three HYVA trucks were also seized from mauza Majhikola carrying illegally quarried stone chips and boulders without having any mining challans. In this matter an FIR (181/22) has also been lodged under Section 379 and 414 of IPC at Girwabadi police station.
