Chhattisgarh EOW searches 14 locations in state in alleged DMF scam; recovers documents

Raipur, Oct 29 (PTI) The Chhattisgarh police's Economic Offences Wing (EOW) on Wednesday conducted searches at 14 locations in the state in connection with the District Mineral Foundation (DMF) scam that allegedly took place during the previous Congress dispensation, and recovered key documents and digital evidence.

The searches were carried out at the locations linked to firms and its directors in four districts of the state, the EOW said in a statement.

Six of these 14 locations were in Raipur, five in Rajnandgaon, two in Durg and one in Dhamtari districts, it said.

During the searches, digital evidence, bank statements, documents related to movable and immovable assets and many other important documents were recovered and are being examined, the probe agency said.

Other important documents include those related to obtaining work orders from the DMF, possibly by paying commission to public servants in various districts of the state, fake billing, vouchers and GST returns, the EOW statement said.

Further investigation into the case is underway after collecting and observing these important evidence, it added.

In May this year, the EOW had filed chargesheet against nine persons, including seven public servants, in connection with the case.

Suspended IAS officer Ranu Sahu, who was then posted as the collector of Korba district; then deputy secretary at chief minister's office (CMO) Saumya Chaurasia; then assistant commissioner with tribal development department Maya Warrier and others were named in the EOW chargesheet.

In the year 2021-22 and 2022-23, the accused, through their sponsored proprietor/vendor, committed corruption and financial irregularities in the tendering under the DMF fund in Korba district by hatching a criminal conspiracy and gained undue advantage for themselves, the chargesheet said.

The DMF is a trust funded by miners that has been set up in all districts of the state with an aim to work for the benefit of those affected by mining-related projects and activities.

The EOW had registered an FIR in connection with alleged DMF scam in January 2024 based on the information provided by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

In its report to the EOW, the ED had claimed large-scale financial irregularities in the allotment of tenders under the DMF in Korba district (during the previous Congress rule) and illegal benefits were given to the bidders by wrongly determining the tenders that caused financial loss to the state government, officials had said.

The ED has also been probing the money laundering angle in the alleged DMF scam. PTI COR NP