CBI team begins probe into illegal mining in Jharkhand's Sahibganj

Sahibganj (Jharkhand), Jan 7 (PTI) Following Jharkhand High Court’s order to hand over the probe into the illegal mining case in Sahibganj district to the CBI, a six-member team of the central agency arrived here on Wednesday, an official said.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, an official said the team first visited the district mining office in the morning and, after examining documents, proceeded to Sakrigali to inspect a boat seized earlier by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

"The CBI team inspected the boat, compared the seizure lists and other documents and questioned the personnel present at the spot," the officials said.

The team then visited the stone quarries located at Nimbu Pahar in Mahadevganj and Chua Mauza.

"The team members inspected the locations and compared it with the ED's findings and documents. The team then went to Basa and inspected the Sankat Mochan Mines, conducting further investigations and questioning the officials present at the spot," another official said.

According to officials, the CBI team will stay in Sahibganj for a few days and conduct a thorough probe of the sites and documents identified in previous ED raids and their own investigations.

The Supreme Court had in December last year dismissed the Jharkhand government's petition challenging the CBI probe into the illegal mining case at Nimbu Pahad in Sahibganj.

The state government had challenged the Jharkhand High Court's order issued by Justice Sanjay Kumar Dwivedi on March 18, 2023, arguing that the CBI had registered an FIR and started investigating without state permission, violating Section 6 of the Delhi Police Establishment Act. PTI ANB MNB