The Enforcement Directorate on Saturday (March 16) conducted fresh searches in Bihar in connection with the alleged illegal sand mining case in the case, official sources said. The searches were conducted in and around the Arrah town in the Bhojpur district. The premises of a businessman and some linked persons are being covered, the sources said. The agency had arrested an alleged close aide of RJD chief Lalu Yadav, Subhash Yadav, in his case last week.
The money laundering case stems from a clutch of 20 FIRs registered by the Bihar Police against a company named Broadsons Commodities Pvt Ltd (BCPL) and its directors alleging they were engaged in illegal mining and sale of sand without using e-challans.
The ED had last year arrested Bihar MLC and JD(U) leader Radha Charan Sah, his son Kanhaiya Prasad and directors of Broadsons Commodities like Mithilesh Kumar Singh, Baban Singh and Surendra Kumar Jindal. All of them are currently lodged in jail under judicial custody.
A chargesheet was filed against them in November, 2023, before a Patna special PMLA court.
The alleged sand trade is controlled by a syndicate that invested funds in the said company and the syndicate earns profit by selling illegal sand which is nothing but proceeds of crime, as per the ED.
Subhash Yadav is stated to be the "key syndicate" member in BCPL, the sources said.
The ED has claimed that proceeds of crime to the tune of Rs 161 crore were generated in this case.
(With PTI inputs)
ALSO READ | Lok Sabha elections 2024: PM Modi launches 'Main Modi Ka Parivar Hoon' campaign song | WATCH
