Raipur: A court here on Thursday sent IAS officer Sameer Vishnoi and two others in the custody of the Enforcement Directorate for eight days in a money laundering case linked to alleged extortion of money from coal and mining transporters in the state. Additional District and Sessions Judge Ajay Singh Rajput sent Vishnoi, businessman Sunil Agrawal and one Laxmikant Tiwari in the custody of the central agency, said Tiwari's lawyer advocate Faizal Rizvi.
They were produced in the court around 4 pm after being arrested by the agency on Thursday morning.
The ED had demanded their 14-day custody which was opposed by defence lawyers, the lawyer said. The ED on Thursday morning arrested Vishnoi, Agrawal and Tiwari, uncle of absconding coal businessman Suryakant Tiwari, after it launched multi-city raids in the state on October 11 as part of a money laundering investigation.
The three were arrested under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). Vishnoi, a Chhattisgarh-cadre Indian Administrative Service officer of 2009 batch, is currently working as CEO of the Chhattisgarh Infotech Promotion Society and ex-officio special secretary of Electronics and Information Technology Department. He also holds additional charge as Managing Director of the Chhattisgarh State Cooperative Marketing Federation (Markfed). He had earlier served as Director of Geology and Mining Department and Managing Director of Chhattisgarh Mineral Development Corporation (CMDC) during the incumbent Congress government.
He was questioned by the agency at its office in Raipur on Wednesday along with a few others. Laxmikant Tiwari, a lawyer from state's Mahasamund district, is uncle of coal businessman Suryakant Tiwari whose properties were also covered during searches. The ED also carried out searches at Laxmikant's residence in Mahasamund town.
Sunil Agrawal, Director of Indramani Group which is in coal trading, is said to be closely associated with Suryakant Tiwari. He has been in the coal business for over a decade and allegedly has links with senior politicians. The money laundering case is linked to alleged illegal levy extorted from coal and mining transporters in the state by a nexus of government officials, businessmen and private entities. (PTI)
