ED Summons J'khand Congress MLA For Questioning In PMLA Case Next Month

The 36-year-old Prasad, who represents Barkagaon in the Jharkhand assembly, has been asked to depose on April 4 while her brother Ankit Sao has been called the next day on April 5, the sources said.

The central agency wants to record their statements under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act PMLA, they said.

The premises of Prasad, her father and former minister Yogendra Sao and others were raided by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) early this week in connection with the central agency's probe related to alleged extortion, collection of levy, illegal sand mining and land grabbing

The agency had on Thursday said it seized "unexplained" cash of about Rs 35 lakh and documents after these raids.

The case against them stems from 15 FIRs registered by the Jharkhand Police under the Indian Penal Code and the Arms Act against Sao, his family members and his associates.

The ED had not made it clear as to from where the cash and documents were seized. It is alleged in the FIRs that Yogendra Sao and Prasad along with their associates are involved in various kinds of criminal activities such as extortion, collection of levy, illegal sand mining and land grabbing. As a result of these, they have acquired proceeds of crime, the ED said in a statement.

Prasad's mother Nirmala Devi had told reporters in Hazaribag that the ED raided the premises of her daughter to break her morale ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.

The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha and the Congress are part of the ruling coalition in the state and also members of the opposition INDIA bloc, which was formed to take on the BJP in the elections.

The ED said "unexplained cash amount of about Rs 35 lakh, digital devices, fake stamps of circle offices, banks, etc. and incriminating documents in the form of handwritten receipts/diaries, etc. seized". Records related to illegal sand mining in Jharkhand were also seized during the raids, the agency said.

"The proceeds of crime generated from such criminal activities have been identified to be acquired in cash, and subsequently, utilised for further business activities and for purchase of several immovable properties," it said.