Former aide orchestrates massive illegal mining syndicate
Pankaj Mishra, once a close aide to Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, has landed in serious trouble.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) says he led an illegal mining syndicate in Sahibganj district that raked in about ₹1,000 crore through unlawful mining, extortion, and controlling mineral transport.
The case also involves a conspiracy with Mishra's wife and several others for fraudulently grabbing mining leases to split the profits.
ED chargesheet names 8 more people, 2 companies
The ED has brought charges against eight more people and two companies for their roles in the scam.
A logistics firm and its director are accused of moving stones worth ₹2.75 crore using money from the racket.
So far, authorities have seized over ₹18 crore in cash, vehicles, stone crushers, and bank balances linked to the operation.
Mishra was arrested after raids last year uncovered how deep the network ran—while other suspects are still on the run.
Legal proceedings are ongoing as investigators dig deeper into who else was involved.