ED Raids Former Officer-In-Charge In Connection With West Bengal Coal Scam
Enforcement Directorate raids former officer-in-charge’s residence during investigation into West Bengal coal scam.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted raids on the residence of former officer-in-charge Manoranjan Mondal in connection with the multi-crore West Bengal coal smuggling scam, targeting illegal mining and money laundering activities.
Mondal, recently posted at Budbud police station after a prior suspension linked to the scam, had his Durgapur home searched alongside nine other premises in Paschim Bardhaman and surrounding areas. ED teams recovered around Rs 70 lakh in cash from one location and scrutinized documents tied to coal traders like Ramesh Bansal, Kiran Khan, Sheikh Akhtar, Prabir Datta, and Mirza Hesamuddin Baig.
The operation, launched early Tuesday under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), probes a syndicate allegedly pilfering coal from Eastern Coalfields Limited (ECL) mines in Asansol. This separate investigation follows CBI's FIR on large-scale theft, transportation, and black marketing, implicating police protection for illicit operations.
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Mondal's involvement stems from accusations of facilitating smuggling rackets, a charge that led to his earlier suspension by the Mamata Banerjee government. ED sources highlighted his recent posting as suspiciously timed, with raids uncovering financial trails connecting officials to coal mafia networks.
The coal scam, under scrutiny for years, has seen prior ED actions across Kolkata, Howrah, and Jharkhand, seizing assets worth crores. Political tensions escalated as Trinamool Congress accused the agency of targeting Bengal ahead of elections, while BJP demanded deeper probes into state machinery complicity.
This development intensifies pressure on West Bengal's law enforcement amid ongoing CBI-ED coordination, with further interrogations expected to unravel the syndicate's full extent and recover laundered proceeds.
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