Mumbai: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested Prem Prakash, a close aide of Chief Minister Hemant Soren, in Jharkhand's illegal mining case. Prem Prakash is a close aide of Chief Minister Hemant Soren and his family friend Amit Agarwal. The ED had also recovered two AK-47s from Prem Prakash's house.
60 cartridges and two magazines were also recovered. However, later Ranchi Police issued a press release stating that both the AK-47s are not of Prem Prakash but of two police constables who stayed with him at night.
The Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday conducted raids at multiple locations linked with Prem Prakash who is said to have strong political connections. In the raid CBI found multiple weapons at this residence. Reportedly AK-47 has been recovered in raid by ED.
Raids are going on in Ranchi and Bihar following an ongoing investigation in connection with illegal mining and extortion.
Prakash's residence and other locations have been raided in the past also.
The fresh raids are being done after Pankaj Mishra, MLA representative of Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren was questioned.
ED on July 19 arrested Mishra under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.
The move came after the agency seized cash amounting to Rs 11.88 crore lying in 37 bank accounts belonging to Mishra in the case. The seized amount belonged to Mishra, one Dahoo Yadav and their associates.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on July 27 seized one inland vessel M.V. Infralink-III worth Rs 30 crore in connection with its ongoing investigation into the illegal mining and extortion case in Jharkhand.
The vessel was seized during a search operation conducted in the case of the involvement of Pankaj Mishra.
Previously, the ED had seized and frozen cash amounting to Rs 13.32 crore lying in 50 bank accounts, Rs 5.34 crore unaccounted cash, illegally operated stone crushers and seized various incriminating documents belonging to Pankaj Mishra, Dahoo Yadav and their associates under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002 during searches conducted at 21 locations in Sahibganj, Barhet, Rajmahal, Mirza Chauki and Barharwa on July 8.
