ED Conducts Major Raids On Coal Mafia In Jharkhand, West Bengal
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) carried out a large-scale operation targeting alleged coal-mafia networks across more than 40 locations in Jharkhand and West Bengal. Searches covered residences, offices and transport sites of suspected entities involved in illegal coal extraction, trading and related money-laundering activities.
Details Of The Raids
In Jharkhand’s Ranchi zone, ED officials searched around 18 sites linked to major coal-theft and smuggling cases. In West Bengal, the Kolkata zonal office conducted searches at approximately 24 locations in Durgapur, Purulia, Howrah and Kolkata districts. Operations included seizure of significant cash and gold jewellery from premises associated with alleged coal-mafia players.
Reason And Legal Basis
The raids are part of an ongoing money-laundering investigation into illicit coal-mining syndicates suspected of causing large revenue losses to state exchequers. The ED is working in coordination with state police forces and has listed individuals and firms thought to have facilitated illegal coal movement and sales across jurisdictional borders.
Implications And Next Steps
Officials said that the seizures and searches aim to disrupt the financial infrastructure of the coal-mafia networks and trace proceeds of crime. The investigation will now proceed to assess whether the money-laundering trails lead to further organisational nodes. The guilty parties may face charges under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and the coal-mining laws.
