RANCHI: In a major relief to the five ministers of former Chief Minister Raghubar Das’s Cabinet, the Jharkhand High Court on Monday dismissed a petition seeking a probe into their assets. The petition filed by social activist Pankaj Yadav, seeking an investigation into the disproportionate assets of five former ministers of the Raghuvar government, was dismissed by the bench of Chief Justice Ramchandra Rao.“The PIL was dismissed by the court saying that the ACB is already investigating the case and hence interference of the court is not required in this regard,” said Advocate Piyush Chitresh appearing on behalf of the state government. Notably, a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) against five ministers in the erstwhile Raghubar Das Government was filed in Jharkhand High Court in 2020 for amassing several hundred per cent properties, more than the known source of their income. Petitioner Pankaj Yadav, in his PIL, has demanded CBI inquiry against the five former ministers Randheer Kumar Singh, Amari Kumar Bauri, Neera Yadav, Louis Marandi and Neera Yadav as their properties increased up to 1100 per cent in the last five years. Incidentally, Louis Marandi is currently a JMM MLA. In July 2023, Chief Minister Hemant Soren had also given approval for ACB investigation against the five former ministers of Raghubar Das Cabinet following which, ACB started investigation in this regard and Pankaj Yadav’s complaint was found to be true. Moving forward in this direction, ACB had also sent notices to the former ministers and the complainant by registering PE in this matter. The case is currently investigated by the ACB.
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