ED raids multiple locations in Chhattisgarh over mining case

New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate on Monday conducted searches at multiple locations in Chhattisgarh, including premises linked to Congress leaders, as part of an ongoing investigation into the coal levy money laundering case, officials said.

The raids come ahead of the three-day plenary session of the Congress from February 24-26 in the state capital Raipur. The state is ruled by the party under Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel.

Over a dozen locations are being searched, including the premises linked to Congress leaders and some MLAs, official sources said.

They said the ED is investigating those who have been the beneficiaries of the proceeds of crime of the alleged coal levy scam perpetrated during the tenure of the current government.

The ED investigation relates to "a massive scam in which illegal levy of Rs 25 was being extorted for every tonne of coal transported in Chhattisgarh by a cartel involving senior bureaucrats, businessmen, politicians and middlemen", the agency has alleged.

Nine persons, including state administrative service officer Chaurasia, Suryakant Tiwari, his uncle Laxmikant Tiwari, Chhattisgarh cadre IAS officer Sameer Vishnoi and another coal businessman Sunil Agrawal have been arrested by it till now in the case.