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.