Enforcement Directorate: The searches were launched on Friday in Sahibganj district.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has seized Rs 5.32 crore cash after it conducted raids at about 18 locations in Jharkhand as part of a money laundering investigation against Pankaj Mishra, the political representative of Chief Minister Hemant Soren, and those linked to him, officials said Saturday.
The searches were launched on Friday in Sahibganj district and its towns like Berhait and Rajmahal and the probe is related to alleged irregularities in the award of toll plaza tenders in the state.
The search teams have seized Rs 5.32 crore in cash from the premises of a person and incriminating documents from multiple locations, officials said, adding that raids at a few locations are continuing.
The money laundering case stems from a state police First Information Report (FIR) and the ED is also looking at purported links between alleged illegal coal mining operatives and those involved in operations of toll plaza tenders in Jharkhand, official sources had said.
The agency in May raided Indian Administrative Officer (IAS) officer Pooja Singhal, her businessman husband, and others as part of a money laundering investigation against them.
The 2000-batch officer, who was holding the charge of Jharkhand mining, was suspended by the state government following her arrest by ED. A charge sheet was filed against her and others by the agency before a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court in Ranchi early this week.
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