LAGATAR24 NETWORK
Ranchi, Feb 5: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is set to interrogate Sahibganj’s DC Ramniwas Yadav once again on Monday in connection with the probe of illegal stone mining. Notably, stones worth Rs 1000 crore have been mined in Santhal Pargana.
Earlier, The Enforcement Directorate (ED) questioned Sahibganj DC Ramniwas Yadav for seven hours on January 23, on whether or not he was aware of the illegal stone mining scam in his district worth Rs. 1000 Crore which the agency is investigating.
Unsatisfied with his answer as he sought additional 10 days’ time to place the correct fact, the ED asked him to come again for questioning on February 6.
Sources had claimed that the DC looked a bit uncomfortable on ED’s questions. He had reiterated the point of giving him ten days’ time to answer the questions. During his interrogation, ED had questioned the DC and stated the DC and SP of the concerned district have full responsibility to stop illegal mining, yet a lot of illegal mining and transportation took place in his district. The ED had questioned him about the steps he had taken to stop illegal mining. The ED had also raised questions over him failing to stop illegal mining and asked why he did not take action against it.
The ED also raised questions about most illegal mining taking place during his tenure after he became the DC of Sahibganj in October 2020. The ED had also showed him the documents related to illegal mining and said that from stone mafia to officers, leaders and businessmen were involved in illegal mining worth Rs 1000 crores. There was stone pelting in Sahibganj district, but he, being the District Magistrate, remained silent and did not take any action.
The ED had asked DC Yadav that a cargo ship carrying trucks carrying stone chips met with an accident on the Ganga river in Sahibganj. Many questions were raised on the report prepared by the DC on this. Even the DC’s report had reached Pankaj Mishra, MLA representative of Chief Minister’s Barhait assembly constituency. ED had then asked how the report reached Pankaj Mishra. Even on this DC did not have any satisfactory answer. The ED had shown and questioned on several evidences, including Pankaj Mishra’s cooperation in illegal mining, the DC working on the instructions of Pankaj Mishra while being treated at RIMS. The DC could not give a satisfactory answer to these questions as well.
