Chhattisgarh EOW/ACB carries out raids against two businessmen in coal levy and liquor 'scams'

Raipur, Sep 21 (PTI) The Chhattisgarh Economic Offences Wing/Anti Corruption Bureau (EOW/ACB) on Sunday conducted raids at multiple locations in connection with the alleged coal levy and liquor scams that took place during the previous Congress regime, a senior official said.

A raid was conducted at seven locations in Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Bihar allegedly linked to businessman Awadhesh Yadav and his associates as part of the probe in the liquor 'scam', he said.

The seven locations comprise three in Chhattisgarh and two each in Bihar and Jharkhand, the official added.

"During the searching, important documents related to the case, mobile phones, electronic devices, property documents and cash were seized. These are being analysed. Further probe and questioning of suspects/accused are underway," he said.

In the alleged coal levy scam, a raid was conducted at the residences of one Jaichand Koshele in Raipur and Janjgir-Champa district, he said.

He is allegedly a key associate of then deputy secretary in CMO Soumya Chaurasia, who is accused of handling disbursement of around Rs 50 crore collected illegally through the levy, the official said.

Important documents, mobile phones, electronic devices etc were found during the raid, he said.

In January 2024, the Chhattisgarh Economic Offence Wing/Anti Corruption Bureau had registered two FIRs under Prevention of Corruption Act and Indian Penal Code in the alleged coal levy and liquor scams based on the complaint of Enforcement Directorate, which has been probing the money laundering aspect.

The move came a month after the BJP defeated the ruling Congress in the 2023 assembly polls.

In coal levy scam FIR, the 35 accused include former minister Amarjeet Bhagat, Congress MLA Devendra Yadav, former MLAs UD Minj, Gulab Kamro, Chandradev Prasad Rai, Shishupal Sori and Birhaspat Singh, IAS officers Sameer Bishnoi and Ranu Sahu as well as then deputy secretary in CMO Soumya Chaurasia.

As per the FIR, Rs 25 per tonne of coal transported in the state was extorted by a cartel involving senior bureaucrats, businessmen, politicians and middlemen. The cartel extorted Rs 540 crore between July 2020 and June 2022, the FIR stated.

The ED, in its probe into the money laundering aspect of the case, arrested 11 persons and provisionally attached proceeds of crime worth Rs 220 crore.

As per the ED, the alleged liquor scam resulted in loss to the exchequer and generated proceeds of crime to the tune of Rs 2,161 crore.

Those named in the liquor scam FIR are 70 individuals, including former excise minister Kawasi Lakhma and former chief secretary Vivek Dhand, and companies.

The EOW/ACB has so far filed one chargesheet and four supplementary chargesheets in the case and arrested more than a dozen persons.

The ED arrested Chaitanya Baghel, son of former CM Bhupesh Baghel, and former minister and Congress MLA Kawasi Lakhma as well as businessman Anwar Dhebar, former IAS officer Anil Tuteja, Indian Telecom Service (ITS) officer Arunpati Tripathi, among others. PTI COR BNM