Supreme Court Allows CBI Investigation in Sahibganj Illegal Mining Case

The Supreme Court, on May 3, permitted the CBI to continue its investigation into allegations of illegal mining in Sahibganj district of Jharkhand involving Pankaj Mishra, a “close associate” of former Chief Minister Hemant Soren, and others. However, the court ordered that any chargesheet should be kept in a sealed cover until the next hearing on July 18.

The decision came in response to a petition filed by the Jharkhand government challenging a High Court order from February 23, 2024, allowing the CBI to register an FIR in the case. The State government argued that the High Court misinterpreted a previous order and that the case did not meet the criteria for CBI intervention. The case originated from a complaint filed by Bijay Hansda, who alleged illegal mining involving stone mafias and government officials, implicating individuals associated with Hemant Soren.