The Central Bureau of Investigation today started a search operation in the illegal mining case of Rs 1250 crore in Nimbu Pahad of Sahibganj district of Jharkhand.
A CBI team reached Mirzachowki area of the district and launched a search operation at the houses of Bhagwan Bhagat and Mehtab. A case has been registered under the relevant sections of Jharkhand Mines and Minerals Act, Arms Act and ST-SC Act.
Earlier, the Enforcement Directorate was investigating the case. But, after a High Court order the CBI has taken over the investigation of the case.
CBI has registered a case against several people including Chief Minister Hemant Soren’s representative of the Assembly Constituency Pankaj Mishra, Vishnu Kumar Yadav, Pavitar Kumar Yadav, Rajesh Yadav, Sanjay Kumar Yadav, Bacchu Yadav, Sanjay Yadav, Suvesh Mandal.
One Vijay Hansda, a village head was a witness in this case. But later he changed his statement.
The Jharkhand High Court had directed the CBI to conduct a preliminary enquiry into the conduct of the accused people booked by Sahibganj Police and also the conduct of petitioner Vijay Hansda who had sought to withdraw the writ petition.
It issued the orders on the petition of Hansda, alleging that for the last two-and-a-half years, "stone mafias" are doing "illegal mining" in connivance with government officials, including mining officials, of his district.
He has alleged that they are using earthmoving machines and carrying out blasts which resulted in cracks in the houses of villagers. Hansda had alleged that he has seen that illegal mining was done in the presence of Mishra but his complaints to district officials did not result in any action from their side.
The high court had also directed the agency to enquire into the roles of Ashok Yadav and Mukesh Yadav who had allegedly threatened Hansda on premises of the High Court while he was obtaining no objection certificate from previous advocates representing him.
It had also directed the agency to register a regular case after the PE and look into the role of other public servants.
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