The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday arrested Pankaj Mishra, the MLA representative of Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, in a money-laundering case.
Last week, the ED had seized ₹11.88 crore in cash lying in 37 bank accounts of Mr. Mishra, one Dahoo Yadav and their associates in connection with an alleged illegal mining case. On July 8, it had conducted searches at 19 locations in Sahebganj, Barhet, Rajmahal, Mirza Chauki and Barharwa, resulting in the seizure of ₹5.34 crore in cash. Five stone crushers were also impounded.
The agency alleged that illegal mining was carried out in the forest areas of Sahibganj. “A trail of further ₹100 crore of proceeds of crime generated from illegal mining has also been unearthed and being worked upon,” it had said.
