ED arrests Poonj Kumar Singh in sand, coal mafia in Bihar, Jharkhand

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested Poonj Kumar Singh, a prominent figure in the sand and coal mafia in Bihar and Jharkhand, in connection with a money laundering case estimated at ₹210 crore. The arrest was made late on Thursday night (September 19) by the Patna Zonal Office of the ED, which plans to produce Singh before a special court in Patna on Friday seeking further remand for questioning.

The investigation into Singh is part of a broader crackdown on the sand mafia that had previously targeted multiple locations. Notably, the ED has also raided the residence of Subhash Yadav, a key leader of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and a close aide of former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav.

During the March operations, investigators seized several documents relating to movable and immovable property, as well as suspicious banking transactions related to the sand and coal trade.

Subhash Yadav, who contested as an RJD candidate from the Chatra Lok Sabha seat in Jharkhand, has been embroiled in controversy along with four other directors of his company, Broadson Construction Private Limited. They were arrested earlier and the ED continues to probe their extensive links with the sand mafia network that stretches from Bihar to Jharkhand and West Bengal.

Sources indicate that Subhash Yadav is seen as a major financier within the RJD and has significant assets. The ongoing investigation may be expanded further, with summons likely to be issued to additional suspects for questioning.

This is not the first time that Yadav has come under scrutiny. In 2018, the Income Tax Department searched his properties and collected crucial evidence that was passed on to both the ED and the CBI.

As the investigation progresses, the Emergency Department aims to uncover more connections and take further legal action against those involved in this extensive criminal network.