RANCHI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) detained two people from the premises of Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) for reportedly providing mobile phones to Pankaj Mishra, accused of an illegal stone mining scam worth Rs 1000 Crore.
Pankaj Mishra is currently lodged at RIMS paying ward for treatment under judicial custody. ED sources informed that Chandan Yadav and Suraj Pandit, who are said to be his drivers, have been detained from RIMS premises. No FIR, however, has been lodged so far in this regard.
According to ED, Pankaj Mishra enjoys ‘political clout’ as he is the political representative of Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren and ‘controls’ illegal mining business in Soren’s Assembly constituency through his accomplices.
He was reportedly caught talking to someone over the phone belonging to his associate.
Sources claimed that Mishra, after being sent to judicial custody, was in regular contact with more than a dozen of senior IAS and IPS officials through the mobile phones provided by the two persons. Now, the ED is preparing a list of those officials who were in contact with Mishra, they said.
Taking a dig at Hemant Soren Government immediately after the incident, BJP legislative party leader Babulal Marandi tweeted, "Jharkhand has become the first state in the country to get help in running in the government from those who have been arrested by ED in corruption cases by providing mobile facility to
them. CM Hemant Soren ji! Please don’t get angry if someone calls you corrupt/dishonest after this news.”