Kolkata: In a major pre-dawn operation on Tuesday, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) launched a series of coordinated raids across West Bengal, escalating its investigation into the multi-crore coal smuggling scam that has rocked the state.
Sleuths from the central probe agency, accompanied by central armed police forces, targeted multiple locations in Kolkata and the industrial belts of Asansol and Durgapur. Agency sources confirmed that the premises of at least half a dozen businessmen and intermediaries, suspected of playing a crucial role in the money-laundering network, were searched.
This latest action marks a significant development in the ongoing probe, which aims to dismantle the financial backbone of the syndicate. The ED’s primary objective is to trace the “proceeds of crime” generated through the illegal mining and transport of coal from Eastern Coalfields Limited (ECL) areas, a scam that has allegedly cost the exchequer thousands of crores.
Inside the Coal Smuggling Operation
The case centers on a sophisticated syndicate that allegedly ran a parallel operation of illegally mining and selling coal for years. Investigators allege the modus operandi involved excavating coal beyond permitted limits from mines in the state’s western districts. This illegally mined coal was then transported using forged documents and sold on the black market to various factories, evading all royalties and taxes.
The ED’s money laundering investigation stems from a November 2020 FIR filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The CBI had named several individuals, including alleged kingpin Anup Majhi (alias ‘Lala’), along with officials from ECL, CISF, and Indian Railways.
Political Fallout: High-Profile Names Under Scanner
The Bengal coal smuggling scam has long been a political flashpoint. Several high-profile individuals, including senior politicians and police officials, have come under the agency’s scanner. Senior Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders, such as MP Abhishek Banerjee and Law Minister Moloy Ghatak, have been questioned multiple times by the ED in connection with the case.
The ruling TMC has consistently denied the allegations, accusing the BJP-led central government of using federal agencies to conduct a “political vendetta” against its leaders. Tuesday’s ED raids are expected to further intensify this political confrontation.
ED’s Focus: Tracing the Money Laundering Trail
Today’s operation is sharply focused on following the laundered money. ED officials are seizing incriminating documents, digital devices, and financial records to expose the web of shell companies and hawala channels allegedly used to legitimize the ill-gotten wealth. Investigators believe the proceeds were invested in real estate, legitimate businesses, and even transferred abroad.
As the ED tightens its noose, the evidence collected from these raids could be crucial in connecting the ground-level operators to the powerful figures who allegedly provided patronage, promising more revelations in the near future.
