ED files charge sheet in money laundering case linked to coal levy case

The 8000-page chargesheet was filed in the court of additional district and sessions judge Ajay Singh Rajput under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

Updated on: Dec 9, 2022, 23:41:06 IST

By Ritesh Mishra

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RAIPUR: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday filed a charge sheet against four people including an IAS officer in a Raipur court in money laundering case linked to the alleged extortion of an illegal levy from coal and mining transporters in Chhattisgarh.

The ED charge sheet alleged that an illegal levy of ₹25 was imposed on every tonne of coal transported in the state by a cartel involving senior bureaucrats, businessmen, politicians and middlemen. (File Image)

The 8000-page charge sheet was filed in the court of additional district and sessions judge Ajay Singh Rajput under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

ED’s counsel Saurabh Pandey said the charge sheet named Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Sameer Vishnoi, coal trader Suryakant Tiwari, his uncle Laxmikant Tiwari and businessman Sunil Agrawal as accused.

The charge sheet alleged that an illegal levy of ₹25 was imposed on every tonne of coal transported in the state by a cartel involving senior bureaucrats, businessmen, politicians and middlemen.

ED first arrested IAS officer Vishnoi, businessman Agrawal who owns Indermani group and Laxmikant Tiwari, uncle of “absconding” businessman and kingpin Suryakant Tiwari, after multi-city raids in the state on October 11. The three were arrested under criminal sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). Later, Suryakant Tiwari was also arrested by ED.

The “genesis of the scam of generation of illegal money through transportation of coal was started once the geology and mining department issued a notification on July 15, 2020, signed by Vishnoi in the capacity of director of geology and mining department,” ED said in documents submitted to the court earlier.

“No further permission or approval was taken before or after issuance of the notification. His further custodial interrogation is necessary to find out under whose influence he had issued the notification which became the genesis of this mega scam,” ED claimed.

The probe agency has claimed that the “main kingpin of this scam is Suryakant Tiwari and his associates entered into a criminal conspiracy to run a parallel system of extorting illegal levy on coal and were doing illegal and unaccounted cash movement”.

Last Friday, ED arrested deputy secretary at the chief minister’s office, Saumya Chaurasia and alleged that Chaurasia ‘s WhatsApp chats retrieved by Income Tax Department revealed that she was sharing all confidential information with Suryakant Tiwari.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ritesh Mishra
Ritesh Mishra is the State Correspondent for Chhattisgarh with Hindustan Times. He reports on Maoism, internal security, politics, mining, governance, and major developments shaping the state. Based in Raipur, he has covered Chhattisgarh since 2016, reporting extensively from the Bastar region and other conflict-affected areas. With nearly two decades of experience in journalism, Ritesh has built a reputation for ground reporting from some of India's most challenging terrains. His coverage spans Left-Wing Extremism, counter-insurgency operations, elections, tribal affairs, environmental issues, infrastructure, mining, and socio-economic developments. He has reported on major security operations, policy initiatives, wildlife crime, and the changing dynamics of conflict and development in Central India. Before moving to Chhattisgarh, Ritesh spent eight years reporting from Madhya Pradesh, covering politics, administration, crime, development, and social issues. Throughout his career, he has reported on various forms of extremism in Central India, combining field reporting with in-depth analysis to produce accurate, balanced, and impactful journalism. Prior to joining Hindustan Times, Ritesh worked with The Pioneer and The Free Press Journal, where he covered a wide range of beats and honed his skills in political, investigative, and field reporting. His reporting is marked by exclusive stories, extensive fieldwork, and a commitment to factual, on-the-ground journalism that brings complex issues to a wider audience.Read More

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