Raipur: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday conducted searches at nearly a dozen locations including residential and office premises of several Congress leaders in Chhattisgarh in connection with the alleged coal mining and levy scam, sources said. The raids come at a time when the party is gearing up for its plenary session to decide on crucial issues.
Sources said the fresh raids are being conducted in connection with the ED's ongoing probe in the alleged money laundering case related to coal mining and levy scam in the state. It is learnt that the ED sleuths conducted searches at the residences and office premises of Congress leaders of Raipur and Durg Bhilai.
The searches were conducted at the premises of Congress State Treasurer Ram Gopal Agarwal at Anupam Nagar, Congress Spokesperson RP Singh at Dangania, Chairman of Labor Welfare Department Sunny Agarwal at Avanti Vihar, Bhilai MLA Devendra Yadav's residence at Raipur and State Congress General Secretary in-charge Ravi Ghosh. Besides, the raids were also conducted at the premises of youth Congress leader Vinod Tiwari.
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The scam- It is alleged that an illegal levy of Rs 25 was charged for every tonne of coal transported in the state. The ED had in January this year raided multiple locations in Chhattisgarh, including that of an IAS officer. The investigation into the case was launched in October last year when raids were conducted at the premises of another IAS officer Sameer Vishnoi, and some businessmen.
Vishnoi, a 2009 batch IAS officer and his wife were allegedly found to be in possession of Rs 47 lakh of unaccounted cash and gold jewellery weighing 4 kg as per officials. Significantly, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel's deputy secretary Saumya Chaurasia, IAS officer Vishnoi, coal trader and alleged main kingpin of the scam Suryakant Tiwari, his uncle Laxmikant Tiwari and another coal businessman Sunil Agrawal have been arrested in this case so far. The raids come on the heels of the national convention of Congress in Chhattisgarh from 24 to 26 February.
