Kolkata, February 3: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday conducted searches at 10 locations across West Bengal in connection with an alleged illegal coal mining and transportation case.
The raids are underway from early Tuesday, covering premises linked to Bengal Police Officer-in-Charge Manoranjan Mondal and others, including Kiran Khan, Sekh Akhtar, Prabir Datta, and Mirza Hesamuddin Baig, officials indicated.
The searches are being carried out under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
According to officials, the case pertains to the alleged illegal extraction and transportation of coal from mines in the state, resulting in significant losses to the exchequer. The ED is probing the suspected generation and laundering of proceeds of crime linked to the illegal trade.
The alleged coal smuggling racket in West Bengal has been under the scanner of central agencies for several years. The case first gained prominence after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) registered an FIR alleging large-scale pilferage of coal from Eastern Coalfields Limited (ECL) mines in the state's Asansol and adjoining areas. The ED subsequently initiated a parallel money laundering probe to trace the financial trail and identify beneficiaries.
Investigators have earlier claimed that illegally mined coal was transported using forged documents and allegedly in connivance with certain officials and private individuals. The funds generated through the illegal sale of coal were suspected of having been routed through various channels to conceal their origin.
Officials said the searches aim to gather evidence related to financial transactions, property acquisitions, and alleged links between public servants and private persons involved in the case. Documents, digital devices, and other incriminating materials are expected to be examined as part of the ongoing investigation. (ANI)
