CBI had interrogated Subesh Mandal a few days ago in the illegal mining case in Sahibganj. He was attacked with a bomb on Friday. The incident took place in Maskalaiya of Taljhari police station area on Friday afternoon. At the time of the incident, Subesh Mandal was going from Sahibganj to his home in Dedhgama, Taljhari, in a Scorpio. Apart from driver Subhash Paswan, Ghisu Mandal, Dinesh Mandal and Ravi Sah were traveling with him in the Scorpio. All five people have been seriously injured in the attack. The incident was carried out by about five criminals riding on three bikes. After that they ran away waving weapons.
It is noteworthy that Subesh Mandal’s name also came up in the case filed by Vijay Hansda against Pankaj Mishra and others. However, when the ED took over that case, Vijay Hansda himself later retracted his allegations. But now CBI has started investigation in this matter on the orders of the High Court. A few days ago, in order to investigate the case related to illegal excavation in Sahibganj, the CBI team had also called Subesh Mandal to the Parliament in Sahibganj for questioning.
After the attack, the driver entered the police station with Scorpio:
On the other hand, after the attack on Friday, while trying to escape from the attackers, the driver Subhash Paswan, while injured, drove the Scorpio away and went straight into the Rajmahal police station premises. The police of Rajmahal police station immediately took all the injured to the sub-divisional hospital for treatment. After first aid here, Subesh Mandal and Subhash Paswan have been referred to Malda in West Bengal. Whereas, Ghisu Mandal is being treated in the sub-divisional hospital itself.
Meanwhile, the injured Dinesh Mandal and Ravi Sah are being treated in a private hospital in Sahibganj. During police interrogation, Subesh Mandal told that he had left for his home from Sahibganj on a Scorpio at 2:00 pm. Near Maskalaiya, about five criminals riding on three bikes started bombing his car. The criminals were also waving weapons. After the incident, when the driver started running away with the vehicle, the criminals chased them for some distance.
Five-member SIT formed to investigate the incident:
As soon as information about the incident was received, Taljhari police station in-charge Pramod Tudu reached the spot and started investigation. Here, police inspector Rajeev Ranjan, Rajmahal police station in-charge Kundankant Vimal, SI Aman Kumar and Pravesh Ram reached the hospital and took information about the incident from the injured. Here, to investigate this incident, SP Naushad Alam has constituted a five-member SIT, which includes Barharwa SDPO Pradeep Oraon, Rajmahal Inspector Rajeev Ranjan and three other police station in-charges.
Defense side cross-examined Vijay Hansda
The statement of the ED witness ended on Friday in the court of Ranchi ED Special Judge PK Sharma. Vijay Hansda said in his statement in the court that I have signed on a plain paper. I signed because Mungeri Yadav and Ashok Yadav had threatened me and put pressure on me. Vijay Hansda gave this statement during cross examination by the defense on Friday.
Special public prosecutor Atish Kumar was present in the court on behalf of ED, while advocate Pradeep Chandra was present on behalf of Pankaj Mishra, advocates Vikrant Sinha and Sneh Singh were present on behalf of Prem Prakash. Pankaj Mishra, Prem Prakash, Bachchu Yadav, Dahu Yadav and his father Pashupatinath are also accused in the illegal mining case.
Tirthanath and Anuranjan did not reach citing security
Teerthnath Akash and Anuranjan Ashok, who had filed an online complaint against 20 people including Pankaj Mishra, were summoned by the police and called in Mofussil on Friday for questioning. But, both did not reach the police station. According to sources, both of them told the police not to come citing security. Tirth Nath and Anuranjan have told the police that they received a threat on their mobile on Thursday evening. Due to lack of adequate security, it is difficult for them to come to Sahibganj right now.
It is noteworthy that Tirthanath Akash and Anuranjan Ashok had filed a PIL in the Jharkhand High Court demanding a CBI inquiry into the illegal mining taking place in Sahibganj. In this, many people including Pankaj Mishra and some officials were made defendants.