Cong MLA appears before ED

Jharkhand Congress MLA Amba Prasad on Monday appeared before the Enforcement Directorate for questioning in an alleged money laundering case.

Prasad entered the ED office here around 2.30 pm.

The 36-year-old Prasad, who represents Barkagaon in Jharkhand assembly, had been asked to depose on April 4 by the ED to record her statement under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), official sources said.

But, the MLA did not turn up citing medical issues. Her father and former minister Yogendra Sao on April 4 had told reporters that Prasad sought time over medical grounds from the ED. Sao faced ED questioning for two consecutive days on April 3 and 4 in an investigation linked to alleged extortion and land-grabbing cases. On summons by the ED, Prasad told reporters, ”This is not for the first time. I have been facing challenges since childhood. My life has been about struggle but I believe one thing that truth will prevail in the end.” The premises of Prasad, her father and former minister Yogendra Sao and others were raided by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in March in connection with the central agency’s probe related to alleged extortion, collection of levy, illegal sand mining and land grabbing.

The ED had said, ”Unexplained cash amount of about Rs 35 lakh, digital devices, fake stamps of circle offices, banks, etc, and incriminating documents in the form of handwritten receipts/diaries, etc, seized”. Records related to illegal sand mining in Jharkhand were also seized during raids, the agency said.