Ranchi: Jharkhand Education Minister Jagarnath Mahto and his personal assistant Pawan Kumar besides others are under the scanner of the Enforcement Directorate for alleged amassing of disproportionate assets through illegal means, sources said on Thursday. The ED is stated to have received a complaint that the Education Minister and his PA have acquired disproportionate assets by misusing their office and indulged in money laundering.
The ED has sought information in this regard from the state police headquarters under the relevant sections of PMLA (Prevention of Money Laundering Act). The ED officials are expected to take further action after receiving the report from the police headquarters. Meanwhile, the ED has also sought information against Giridih SP Amit Renu and many other officials and businessmen in illegal coal smuggling in Dhanbad and many other districts.
The ED had received complaints about coal smuggling taking place on a large scale in the Mugma area in Dhanbad where coal mine collapses have caused many deaths.
Also read:Jharkhand illegal mining case: ED files charge sheet, claims seizure of CM's passbook, cheques
A probe has been demanded under PMLA against Giridih SP Amit Renu, alleging that he has acquired property in the name of himself and his family members by misusing his post. ED has also sought information in the case related to BCCL senior manager BN Behera, Chief Vigilance Officer Animesh Kumar besides one Harinandan Chaudhary of Dumka and Manish Yadav related to sand business, according to sources.
The ED officials are also gathering information about businessman Vinod Kumar Kumar, proprietor of Grid Consultants, who has allegedly wrongfully acquired wealth. Apart from Kumar, the ED is also probing the complaint received against a stone mining company, Shiv Shakti Stone Works. Besides, the ED is also investigating the complaint related to more than two dozen people including three senior officers in illegal mining case.
It has been alleged that another accused Vibhuti earned crores through irregularities in many crusher leases and acquired property in many places in the name of himself and his family. A probe has also been sought into the death of Karuna Shah, a laborer, who died while working at Shivshakti Stone Works in Sahibganj on 8 May 2020.
