ED seizes over Rs 14 crore in cash, gold following raids on coal mafia in Jharkhand, West Bengal

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has seized cash and gold worth more than Rs 14 crore during searches against an alleged coal mafia network operating across Jharkhand and West Bengal, the agency said on Saturday.

The raids were launched on Friday at 44 premises in the two states, in connection with “large-scale” illegal mining, theft, transportation, storage and sale of coal, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) said in a statement.

Cash, jewellery and gold amounting to more than Rs 14 crore, various property deeds linked to the coal syndicate and agreements related to sale and purchase of land, several digital devices, account ledgers of entities controlled by the network, etc, have been seized, the statement added.

The agency took cognisance of multiple FIRs filed by the police in both states to lodge a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

The FIRs indicate that a vast illegal coal supply network is operating across Jharkhand and West Bengal, the agency said in the statement.

Documents and other records seized during the searches have corroborated the allegations raised in the FIRs and also led to the identification of an organised racket operating with the help of local authorities, the ED said.

The syndicate is very active in the border areas of West Bengal and Jharkhand and has generated “huge” proceeds of crime, the statement said.

More than 100 ED officials were part of the searches, it added.