THE CBI searched 20 locations in three states, including pollbound Jharkhand, on Tuesday in connection with an illegal stone mining case in Nimbu Pahar in which Chief Minister Hemant Soren’s alleged political aide Pankaj Mishra is under probe, officials said. The searches were conducted in Jharkhand, West Bengal and Bihar. The central probe agency launched the operation at 11 locations in Jharkhand’s Sahibganj, three in Ranchi and one location each in Patna and Kolkata at the premises of the suspects and their associates, they said. Later, it expanded the searches to two more locations in Sahibganj, one location in Jharkhand’s Gumla and one in Kolkata, taking the total number of searched premises to 20, the officials said. Assembly polls in Jharkhand will take place on November 13 and 20.The ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha ( JMM) and the INDIA bloc will face the BJP and its NDA allies. The CBI has recovered Rs 50 lakh cash, of which Rs 40 lakh was seized from the premises of RanjanVerma.

 

One kilogram of gold and 61 live cartridges of 9 mm pistol were seized from Bhagwan Bhagat in Sahibganj. Verma and Bhagat are understood to be close associates of Mishra, the officials said. Sale deeds related to properties, documents related to investments and shell companies, agreement papers and other incriminating documents have been seized, a CBI spokesperson said in a statement. The agency registered thecase on November 20, 2023, at the direction of the JharkhandHigh Court. In its FIR registered onNovember 20 last year, theRanchi unit of the CBI bookedMishra, Pavitra Kumar Yadav, Rajesh Yadav, Sanjay KumarYadav, Bacchu Yadav, SanjayYadav and Suvesh Mandal. They are allegedly involvedin the “pilferage and illegal extraction” of stones at Nimbu Pahar in Sahibganj. “Investigation revealed that largescale illegal mining activities in Sahebganjdistrictallegedlycausedsubstantial losses to the government, primarily through unpaid royalties and the violation of mining laws,” the spokesperson said. The official said Tuesday’s searches are being carried out atthe premises of suspects whose roles came up during further investigation.

 

e said field investigations suggest that key individuals and entities were allegedly involved in this operation, usingmultiplemethodstoconcealtheir activities and divert illicitly obtained resources or money. “Initial investigation gathered evidence which revealed the involvement and nexus of key individuals and firms to carry out the illegal mining activity and conceal the proceeds thus obtained,” he said. TheJharkhandHighCourthaddirected the CBI to conduct a preliminary enquiry into theconduct of the accused personsbookedbytheSahibganjpolice andalsothe conductofpetitionerBijay Hansda, who had sought to withdraw the writ petition. It issued the orders on the petition filed by Hansda, who alleged that for two-and-a-halfyears, the“stonemafia” werecarryingout“illegalmining”inconnivance with government officials, including mining officials, of his district. Healleged that they were usingearth moving machines and carrying out blaststhatresultedincracksinthehouses of villagers. Hansda also alleged that he had seen illegal mining being carried out in the presence of Mishra but his complaints to district officials did not result in any action. Thecourthadalsodirectedtheagency to register a regular case after the preliminary enquiry (PE) and look into the role of other public servants.