VIJAY DEO JHA
Ranchi, July 11: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) raid against Pankaj Mishra & Co. in Sahibganj on Friday gave rise to many juicy stories including how a suspect Bacchu Yadav whose premise was raided, trapped ED officials in hospitality and shifted huge amounts to safer locations before the ED could act.
It is alleged that Raja, Mukesh and Bhim who are said to be close confidants of Bacchu Yadav quietly ran away along with a large cash amount while Bacchu Yadav kept the ED officials engaged in his sweet talks, sweets and curd.
This is the talk of the town that when the ED team reached the residence of Bacchu Yadav at village Rampur Karara he pretended to be a poor man who like others was equally threatened by Pankaj Mishra and Dahu Yadav. To make the ED officials believe his story he started to curse Pankaj Mishra and Dahu Yadav.
Pleading innocence, Bacchu Yadav is said to have told the ED officials that he was only their poor employee who got Rs 6000 as salary for managing the ferry ghat on the river Ganga. Bacchu Yadav lamented that Pankaj Mishra and Dahu Yadav never treated their employees properly and the ED should teach them a lesson. He assured the ED that if required he would not hesitate to reveal the truth about Pankaj Mishra and Dahu Yadav before the ED.
Some claimed that Bacchu Yadav engaged them in delicacies and hospitality offered them curd and sweets. And in between he winked his men to take out cash from his house. All it happened before the ED could search his house.
Bacchu Yadav is said to be their right hand and he allegedly runs illegal stone mines in Sahibganj. Bacchu Yadav dressed himself poorly so that ED officials believe him as a labourer. Otherwise Bacchu Yadav always remains handsomely dressed who loves to wear a lot of ornaments.
This is not the first instance when an ED official could not resist the temptation of food. On May 25, the ED raided houses of powerbroker Prem Prakash in Ranchi including the house he had taken on rent. The house owner stays on one of the floors of the house. During the raid ED officials are said to have checked into the house of the owner also. They allegedly took apples from the refrigerator and also prepared some instant food in the kitchen of the house owner. Later on, the house owner is said to have verbally complained to the ED about the conduct of the ED officials and said that they spoiled his kitchen.