New Delhi: On Friday, The Enforcement Directorate’s team (ED) conducted raids at over dozen locations in Jharkhand that were linked to Pankaj Mishra, known to be a close aide of Chief Minister Hemant Soren and also an MLA representative for Sahibganj constituency, according to report.
At 18 locations, including Sahibganj, Berhait, and Rajmahal, the raids are being conducted in connection with a tender fraud Scam. ED raids came in connection with an alleged scam done in availing marketplace tender in Sahebganj’s Barharwa in 2020.
The action is being undertaken under sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the officials said. Shambhu Bhagat, who submitted a proposal for the contract, has filed a complaint against Pankaj Mishra and a few other people. He even threatened to withdraw his bid after alleging that Pankaj Mishra had ordered him to be physically assaulted.
The complainant further claimed that a significant fraud was carried out through a fictitious firm in order to award the deal to the minister’s brother. The ED had taken over the case which was registered at Barharwa police station.