In a big development, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday conducted raids at multiple locations in Jharkhand that were linked to MLA Pankaj Mishra, a close aide of Chief Minister Hemant Soren. Notably, these raids are being carried out in connection with a tender scam at 18 locations, including Sahibganj, Berhait and Rajmahal.
It is significant to mention that the ED is carrying out raids in connection with an alleged scam done in availing market-place tender in Sahebganj’s Barharwa in 2020. Shambhu Bhagat, who also submitted a bid for the contract, filed a complaint against CM Soren’s MLA Pankaj Mishra and a few other people.
Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducts raid at the locations of Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren’s MLA representative Pankaj Mishra. Raids going on at 18 locations, including Sahibganj, Berhait and Rajmahal in connection with a tender scam.
Visuals from Sahibganj in Jharkhand. pic.twitter.com/AQiBKR5sdH
— ANI (@ANI) July 8, 2022
In his complaint, Shambhu Bhagat had alleged he was beaten up on the instructions of Pankaj Mishra and even threatened to back off from bidding. It is pertinent to mention that in the same tender, the brother of Jharkhand Minister, Alamgir Alam, was also bidding. The complainant further claimed that a significant fraud was carried out through a fictitious firm in order to award the deal to the minister’s brother. Under the 2002 Prevention of Money Laundering Act, the ED had taken over the case that had been reported to the Barharwa police station and launched an investigation into the matter.
This comes following the ED filing a chargesheet against arrested IAS officer Pooja Singhal in a separate money laundering case at a special PMLA court in Ranchi.
ED files chargesheet against Pooja Singhal
The Central agency filed a chargesheet against former Jharkhand’s mining secretary, Pooja Singhal in an alleged money laundering case pertaining to the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGA) scam. Notably, the PMLA court in Ranchi deferred the hearing on the bail petition filed by the accused, the former mining secretary in the Jharkhand government, Pooja Singhal, as the ED was unable to file its reply. The court thereafter scheduled the next hearing for July 12.
The ED filed a chargesheet with strong evidence against Singhal, her husband Abhishek Jha and CA Suman Kumar. Earlier, cash of Rs 19-20 crore was recovered from CA Suman Kumar’s residence. The case also pertains to the mining lease in various districts where IAS Singhal was posted. The case also involves the unaccounted money invested in the construction business and also building a hospital. The ED had found several irregularities in the same and has filed the chargesheet accordingly.
