The Enforcement Directorate has summoned Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren's press adviser Abhishek Prasad and Sahibganj Deputy Commissioner Ram Niwas Yadav for questioning in a money laundering investigation linked to alleged illegal mining in the state, official sources said.

 

Prasad alias Pintu has been asked to depose at the federal agency's Ranchi office on January 16, Yadav on January 11 and another person, Binod Singh, on January 15, they said.

The sources said their statements will be recorded under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had raided their premises and those of Sahibganj Deputy Superintendent of Police Rajendra Dubey and some others on January 3.

The action was related to a case of "illegal stone mining prevalent in Sahibganj, having proceeds of crime of more than Rs 1,000 crore", the agency said. 

"Rampant illegal mining activities were being done in the Sahibganj area and in order to ascertain the extent of this act, 20 joint inspections of illegal mining activities were carried out by the officers of the ED along with administrative, forest, mining and pollution control departments of the Jharkhand government," it said 

"The joint inspection has confirmed the instance of huge illegal mining as well as denudation of land and forest area leading to environmental hazards," the ED said. -- PTI