ED Attaches Properties Worth Rs 17.48 Crore in Chhattisgarh Coal Scam. In the unlawful Coal levy extortion case in Chhattisgarh, the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has temporarily attached 51 immovable assets worth about Rs 17.48 Crore. The attached properties comprise eight benami immovable properties worth Rs 7.57 crore that is beneficially held by Ms Saumya Chaurasia, Deputy Secretary to the Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh, and 43 other benami properties that are beneficially managed by Suryakant Tiwari.
The ED had earlier issued a Provisional Attachment Order on 09.12.2022 attaching properties worth Rs 152.31 Crore belonging to Suryakant Tiwari, Sameer Vishnoi IAS, Ms Saumya Chaurasia, Chhattisgarh Civil Service Officer, Sunil Agarwal, and others in the same money laundering probe. To date, the ED has attached assets worth around Rs 170 crore.
Based on an Income Tax Department allegation, the ED has launched a money laundering probe. Searches have been carried out, and 9 people have been detained under the PMLA so far. They are all being held in judicial custody. According to an ED probe, the profits of crime in this extortion ring totalled Rs 540 Crore. With the active collaboration and involvement of a significant number of bureaucrats and higher powers, a comprehensive network of extortion was established. ED is looking at the entire extortion scheme. Further research is being conducted.
