The Enforcement Directorate questioned Jharkhand’s Congress MLA Kumar Jaimangal Singh, alias Anoop Singh, for more than nine hours on Saturday in connection with its probe into the cash seizure from three legislators of the state, an official of the central agency said.
Singh appeared before sleuths of the agency in its zonal office in connection with the cash recovery from Jharkhand MLAs in West Bengal’s Howrah district, he said. Singh, however, claimed that he was not summoned as an accused but as a complainant in the case.
“As a responsible citizen and people’s representative, I came here to cooperate with the ED in the investigation,” said Singh, who came out from the ED office around 9 pm.
Singh said he gave his statement as provided to the Kolkata Police under section 164 of CrPC. “I assured the ED officers of full cooperation,” he said.
The three Congress MLAs from Jharkhand — Irfan Ansari, Rajesh Kachchap and Naman Bixal Kongari — were arrested by the West Bengal Police after over Rs 49 lakh in cash was seized from their vehicle in Howrah in July.
Singh had lodged a zero FIR — a complaint not restricted to any police station's jurisdiction — against three MLAs at Argora police station in Ranchi on July 31, alleging money laundering. The MLAs — Rajesh Kachhap, Irfan Ansari, and Naman Vixal Kongadi — were arrested on July 30 in Howrah and Rs 50 lakh was seized from them, in connection with the complaint.
Singh had further alleged that the arrested MLAs hatched a conspiracy to topple the state's coalition government headed by Hemant Soren. ED launched an investigation into the matter under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
The ED is investigating the money laundering aspect of the case.
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