NEW DELHI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) conducted extensive searches across 16 locations in Jharkhand, West Bengal, and Bihar as part of an ongoing probe into an illegal stone mining scam in Jharkhand’s Nimbu Pahad region, officials reported on Tuesday.
Among those under investigation is Pankaj Mishra, a reported aide of Chief Minister Hemant Soren. The searches targeted 11 locations in Jharkhand’s Sahibganj district, three in Ranchi, and one location each in Patna and Kolkata, focusing on premises linked to Mishra and his associates.
The raids resulted in the seizure of Rs 50 lakh in cash, one kilogram each of gold and silver, as well as property documents valued in crores. The CBI initiated this probe after the Jharkhand High Court directed the agency to take up the case on November 23, 2023.
