Coal Smuggling Probe: The ED has summoned eight IPS officers posted in West Bengal to Delhi in the coal smuggling case. According to the ED, it has evidence of the involvement of these IPS officers in the coal smuggling case. All of them were posted in those areas where smuggling took place.
Sources told India Today that the agency has arrested IPS officer Gyanwant on August 22, Koteshwar Rai on August 23, Shyam Singh on August 24, Selva Murugan on August 25, Rajiv Mishra on August 26, Sukesh Jain on August 29, Tathagata Basu on August 30. Bhaskar Mukherjee have been called for questioning on August 31.
Assets worth more than 204 crore attached
Last month, the ED attached assets worth Rs 23 crore of businessman Anoop Majhi and his associates, the main accused in the coal smuggling case. Earlier in this case, the ED had attached assets worth Rs 181.24 crore by searching 56 premises under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and 5 attachment orders of Anup Majhi and other related persons.
In this case, the CBI had arrested three accused Vikas Mishra, Ashok Kumar Mishra and Gurupad Maji. Many top politicians associated with Trinamool Congress in West Bengal are also under the scanner of the ED in this case.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s nephew Abhishek Banerjee has been questioned by the ED in the coal smuggling case. In May this year, the Supreme Court allowed the ED to interrogate his nephew Abhishek Banerjee and wife Rujira Banerjee in the coal smuggling case. After this, the Enforcement Directorate has also questioned Abhishek Banerjee and Rujira.
The investigation revealed smuggling from coal mines of Eastern Coal Fields, Durgapur, Purulia, Bankura in Kunustoria and Kajora areas near Asansol. It is alleged that illegal mining was done by extracting coal from here.
The kingpin of this smuggling has been told to Anoop Manjhi alias Lala. In this, there was talk of illegal earnings of Rs 1,300 crore. On November 27, 2020, the CBI had registered a case against several officers and employees of Eastern Coalfield Limited (ECL) along with Anup Majhi alias Lala, unidentified officials of CISF and Railways.
It was alleged that coal was stolen from the leasehold area of ECL with the active connivance of officials of ECL, CISF, Indian Railways and other departments concerned.
Vinay Mishra is the second accused in this case. Vijay Mishra is accused of being close to Abhishek Banerjee. Apart from this, it has been revealed in the investigation that money was deposited in the foreign bank accounts of these influential people through hawala.
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