Jharkhand: ED seizes Rs 5.32-crore money after raids in opposition to CM Hemant Soren’s aide

By PTI

RANCHI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has seized Rs 5.32 crore money after it carried out raids at about 18 areas in Jharkhand as a part of a money-laundering investigation in opposition to Pankaj Mishra, the political consultant of Chief Minister Hemant Soren, and people linked to him, officers mentioned Saturday.

The searches have been launched on Friday in Sahibganj district and its cities like Berhait and Rajmahal and the probe pertains to alleged irregularities within the award of toll plaza tenders within the state.

The search groups have seized Rs 5.32 crore in money from the premises of an individual and incriminating paperwork from a number of areas, officers mentioned, including that raids at a number of areas are persevering with.

The cash laundering case stems from a state police FIR and the ED can be purported hyperlinks between alleged unlawful coal mining operatives and people concerned in operations of toll plaza tenders in Jharkhand, official sources had mentioned.

The federal company in May raided IAS officer Pooja Singhal, her businessman husband and others as a part of a money-laundering investigation in opposition to them.

The 2000-batch officer, who was holding the cost of Jharkhand mining secretary, was suspended by the state authorities following her arrest by the ED.

A cost sheet was filed in opposition to her and others by the company earlier than a particular PMLA courtroom in Ranchi early this week.