New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Saturday made four fresh arrests in Chhattisgarh in connection with a Prevention of Money Laundering case pertaining to illegal commission on coal sale by state government officials
The accused were identified as Dipesh Tonk, Sandeep Nayak, Shiv Shankar Nag and Rajesh Chaudhary.
Tonk is said to be a close associate of Saumya Chaurasia, the Deputy Secretary to Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel.
Meanwhile, Chaudhary had carried a fake ED ID card to dupe the probe agencies.
Meanwhile, Chaurasia, IAS Sameer Vishnoi and a few others are under the scanner in the case.
Vishnoi and Chaurasia were already arrested by the ED.
In December 2022, the ED had attached movable and immovable properties worth Rs 152.31 crore belonging to Suryakant Tiwari, Chaurasia, Vishnoi, Sunil Agarwal of the Indramani Group and others in the matter.
In September, the ED had arrested Vishnoi, Agarwal and Laxmikant Tiwari.
The following month, the absconding accused Suryakant Tiwari surrendered before a court and was arrested.A
IAS Ranu Sahu was reportedly missing but she wrote a letter to the ED in October and told the officials that she was on medical leave.
Later, the probe agency conducted search operations at her mother’s house.
Bishnoi was questioned by the ED officials regarding alleged commission of Rs 25 per ton coal which would be taken out from mines.
The ED had also raided locations in Chhatisgarh for two consecutive days and had recovered around Rs 4 crore.
The Income Tax Department had earlier written a letter to the Chhatisgarh government in which it was alleged that a few officials very close to the Chief Minister were involved in getting commission/bribe from coal and other businessmen.
However, no action was taken by the state government in this respect.
(IANS)
