Sunil Chaudhary, Ranchi, Sahibangaj: Illegal mining of stones worth one thousand crores has taken place in Sahibangaj district. This has been said by ED in an affidavit filed with NGT Kolkata. Describing Pankaj Mishra as the kingpin of this illegal mining and transportation, the ED has said that he used to run this business directly and indirectly through political patronage. ED Ranchi under the petition number-23/2017 filed by social activist Syed Arshad Nasar in the National Green Tribunal (NGT) East Zone Kolkata for the conservation and promotion of the historical Rajmahal mountain of the district and to stop all the illegal mining and stone crushers being operated. Assistant Director of the Zone, Devvrat Jha has filed an affidavit and given detailed information about the matter. ED said in the affidavit that when ED started investigation by converting the case number 85/2020 registered against MLA representative Pankaj Mishra and Minister Alamgir Alam in Barharwa police station of the district into IIR, then illegal mining and mining was detected on a large scale in the district. Caught the carriage. The next hearing of this case in NGT will be on May 13.
A network of criminals was created
Rajesh Yadav alias Dahu Yadav, Sunil Yadav, Bachchu Yadav and others, absconding due to fear of arrest, were identified as associates of Pankaj Mishra and informed about the operation of illegal transportation of stolen minerals through roads, railways and inland cargo ships. Is. The ED report says that Pankaj Mishra had created a strong network of local criminals. Pankaj Mishra used it to extort heavy levies, make threats and conduct illegal mining and transportation activities.
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He also forcibly operated the stone mine allotted to someone else. When ED searched the premises of Pankaj Mishra and his associates on July 8, 2022, Rs 5 crore in cash was seized and bank balance of Rs 15 crore was frozen. From July 25 to July 29, 2022, joint verification and survey of the mines was conducted by the ED by a team of officials/employees of the concerned state. During the joint inspection, illegal mining and their illegal transportation in a large area was confirmed. Illegal mining worth more than Rs 1000 crore has so far been carried out through railways, roads and inland cargo ships.
damage caused to the environment
The ED report said that illegal mining activities have resulted in loss of land and forest area, which has had an environmental and ecological impact. Illegal mining has been confirmed to be causing soil erosion, barrenness of land, water logging and leveling of hilly areas.
Illegal transportation of stones from railway rack
ED has informed that in the last two years, a large number of stone chips were transported from railway rakes without mining challan. The income received from illegal mining activities has been laundered by Pankaj Mishra through the accounts of his associates and presented as untainted property. Describing Pankaj Mishra as the kingpin in this case, information has been given that a total of nine people have been arrested so far. ED has informed that further investigation will continue.