Hours after the Enforcement Directorate arrested Ranchi-based businessman Prem Prakash in the illegal mining case, the Jharkhand government issued a warning to the media houses for publishing news reports linking Chief Minister Hemant Soren’s name to Prakash. The government said that all the media houses that try to establish links between the duo would face legal action.
Jharkhand government warns media houses of legal action for news reports linking Chief Minister Hemant Soren’s name to person against whom ED conducted raids and recovered two AK-series rifles
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 25, 2022
According to the reports, the Enforcement Directorate yesterday conducted raids at the residence of Prem Prakash in Harmu Housing Colony and found two AK-47 rifles hidden in the old iron cupboard. Though SHO Argora Police Station, Vinod Kumar, confirmed the incident and said that the arms recovered belonged to the Jharkhand Police, the ED stated that the rifles would be handed over to the police only after the investigation in the case was completed.
ED has recovered AK 47 from the premises of middleman Prem Prakash: Sources
— ANI (@ANI) August 24, 2022
Raids are underway at multiple locations in Ranchi (Jharkhand) in an ongoing investigation in connection with illegal mining and extortion. pic.twitter.com/RFlIxcnOkN
In the statement released on Wednesday, the CM’s secretariat said that certain media platforms, including a few national media channels, were releasing ‘misleading’ reports claiming that Prakash was a close aide of CM Hemant Soren. “Certain news reports by media platforms including a few national TV channels point to a misleading ploy and attempt to intentionally link the Chief Minister of Jharkhand to a private individual. If the state government comes across any further malicious reports and tweets/ digital posts (by media platforms), it will be dealt with as per due legal provisions”, the statement read.
The CM’s secretariat also added that the Jharkhand government has provided cooperation to all investigations undertaken by central agencies and that it supports the freedom of the press.
Meanwhile, elaborating on the ED’s raid, the Ranchi Police said on August 25 that the rifles recovered from prem Prakash’s house belonged to the Ranchi Police. “As it was raining, two constables while returning from duty on August 23 had left their weapons with Prakash’s staff whom they knew. The two constables were suspended with immediate effect”, the Police was quoted.
To note, The BJP’s Godda MP Nishikant Dubey also posted a tweet in connection to the case and had said that Prakash is an ‘associate of Jharkhand CM and his family friend Amit Agarwal’ and that Prakash’s links with the CM should be investigated by the NIA.
प्रेम प्रकाश का खेल ख़त्म @dir_ed ने आज उसको हिरासत में लिया ।AK 47 ,दलालों की महिमा का बखान शुरू ।अधिवक्ता राजीव कुमार को जेल भेजने वाले झारखंड के नासूर जिसने मुख्यमंत्री जी को बदनामी में डाला अमित बीमार हो गया,बीमारी का इलाज @NIA_India को ढूँढना चाहिए
— Dr Nishikant Dubey (@nishikant_dubey) August 25, 2022
Pertinently, Jharkhand CM is likely to get disqualified from the assembly. As per the reports, Jharkhand Governor Ramesh Bais will soon announce the report sent to him by the Election Commission. This is after the BJP in the state had demanded disqualification of Soren as an MLA and accused him of extending himself a mining lease. BJP MP Dubey demanding fresh elections said on Thursday, “CM Hemant Soren should head towards mid-term polls, on moral grounds. Assembly should be dissolved and there should be elections in all 81 Assembly constituencies. BJP has been demanding this”.
Hemant Soren (Jharkhand CM) should head towards mid-term polls, on moral grounds. Assembly should be dissolved and there should be elections in all 81 Assembly constituencies. BJP has been demanding this: BJP MP Nishikant Dubey pic.twitter.com/xfqdBwjYXV
— ANI (@ANI) August 25, 2022
He also added, “Journalists say that Jharkhand CM has lost his membership. That had been recommended to the Governor by the EC. As a BJP worker, it’s a matter of joy because it’s the BJP that had complained to the Governor. It is the day to celebrate”.
All the journalists have told me that he (Jharkhand CM) has lost his membership. That had been recommended to the Governor by the EC. As a BJP worker, it’s a matter of joy because it’s the BJP that had complained to the Governor. It is the day to celebrate: BJP MP Nishikant Dubey https://t.co/VrfjHvwNiO pic.twitter.com/FSsNHmvREt
— ANI (@ANI) August 25, 2022
In the current case, the arrested Prem Prakash is a Ranchi-based businessman whose premises were searched by the central agency yesterday in the illegal mining case. During the search, ED recovered two AK-47 rifles along with 60 live cartridges and also incriminating documents from his residence. It is believed that Prem Prakash has a hand in every major tender and transfer posting of IAS and IPS officers.
