Suspended Jharkhand Congress MLA Naman Bixai on Wednesday appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a money laundering case linked to the seizure of huge cash in West Bengal last year.
On July 30, 2022, the West Bengal Police recovered ₹48 lakhs in cash from a car in which Bixai was travelling with fellow party legislators Irfan Ansari and Rajesh Kachchap in Howrah. All three were later suspended by Congress.
On Wednesday, Bixai appeared at ED’s zonal office in Ranchi with his bank account details.
“I am present here with all relevant documents as asked by the ED. I’ll fully cooperate with the agency,” said the legislator told the media before entering the building.
On Monday, the financial investigation agency questioned Irfan Ansari for more than 8 hours at its Ranchi office.
A day after the cash seizure on July 1, another Congress MLA – Anup Singh – filed a zero FIR in Ranchi against the three legislators, alleging that they were conspiring to topple Hemant Soren-led coalition government. He had also alleged that he was offered ₹10 crores and a ministerial berth in the next government.
A zero FIR puts a legal obligation on the police to begin an investigation and take quick action without the excuse of the absence of jurisdiction.
Based on Singh’s police complaint, the ED had launched an inquiry around two months back to probe the money laundering angle.
Speaking to media persons on Monday, Ansari said, “Allegations levelled against me are baseless. I am not involved in any conspiracy to topple the government.”
“Why would I topple the government which we formed? I want to tell those who hate me, to leave the hatred and start working towards uniting India,” Ansari said.
Ansari was first summoned to appear on January 13 but sought two weeks’ time.
On December 24, it questioned Congress MLA Anup Singh or Kumar Jaimangal Singh for more than nine hours in connection with the case.