Coal smuggling scam: CBI raids West Bengal Law Minister Moloy Ghatak's 3 houses
1 min read 07 Sep 2022, 11:29 AM ISTSeveral residences of West Bengal minister Moloy Ghatak were raided by CBI on Wednesday morning in connection with its probe into a coal smuggling scam
PremiumThe Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Wednesday morning raided several residences of West Bengal Law Minister Moloy Ghatak in connection with its probe into a coal smuggling scam, an officer told PTI.
Raids were conducted at three houses of Ghatak in Asansol in Paschim Bardhaman district and one in Lake Gardens area of Kolkata. These searches are being conducted in the light of Ghatak's connection with alleged coal pilferage from Eastern Coalfields Ltd mines in Asansol, officials said on Wednesday.
The multi-crore coal pilferage scam is related to the Eastern Coalfields Ltd mines in West Bengal's Kunustoria and Kajora areas.
The agency, aided by a huge contingent of central paramilitary personnel, conducted searches in these properties in connection with the scam. Women officers were also part of the team.
Ghatak was not present in any of his residences when the raids took place. The entire areas around his residences were surrounded by central forces when the raids took place.
The agency also conducted searches at four different places in Kolkata in connection with the scam.
Incidentally, Ghatak, MLA from Asansol Uttar, has appeared once before Enforcement Directorate officers at its Delhi office for questioning in connection with the coal pilferage case. He, however, has skipped several other summonses of the ED in connection with the scam.
The CBI had registered an FIR in November 2020 against the alleged kingpin of the pilferage racket, Anup Manjhi alias Lala, ECL general managers Amit Kumar Dhar and Jayesh Chandra Rai, ECL security chief Tanmay Das, Kunustoria area security inspector Dhananjay Rai and Kajor area security in-charge Debashish Mukherjee.
(With inputs from PTI)
