Chhattisgarh coal levy 'scam': Enforcement Directorate raids multiple sites

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday conducted raids at multiple locations in Chhattisgarh and some other states in connection with its ongoing money laundering probe into an alleged coal levy scam in the state, officials said.

The searches are being undertaken in state capital Raipur, Korba, Durg and Ranchi in Jharkhand and Bengaluru (Karnataka).

Premises linked to IAS officer and secretary in the state government Anbalagan P are also being covered, officials said.

The federal agency had launched a probe in this case in October last year after it raided another IAS officer of the state, Sameer Vishnoi, and some businessmen.

The investigation relates to "a massive scam in which illegal levy of Rs 25 was being extorted for every tonne of coal transported in Chhattisgarh by a cartel involving senior bureaucrats, businessmen, politicians and middlemen", the agency has alleged.

Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel's deputy secretary Saumya Chaurasia, Vishnoi, coal trader Suryakant Tiwari, his uncle Laxmikant Tiwari and another coal businessman Sunil Agrawal have been arrested in this case till now.