Kolkata, February 11: In a significant development in the coal smuggling case in West Bengal, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has remanded two coal traders, Kiran Khan and Chinmay Mandal, to custody until February 18. This decision was made by a special court in Kolkata on Tuesday.
Chinmay Mandal is related to Kiran Khan, being his uncle, and both have been involved in the coal trade for an extended period. ED officials discovered that they were illegally sourcing coal from the Asansol-Jamuria coalfields in West Bardhaman and selling it to various small factories, not only in West Bengal but also in neighboring states.
Sources indicate that they obtained this illegal coal through two primary methods: first, by illicitly acquiring coal mined by various subsidiaries of Coal India Limited with the assistance of certain dubious officials and employees; and second, by extracting coal from abandoned CIL mines in the area. This illegal mining has frequently led to incidents of land subsidence, a major concern in the region.
Despite their primary business being illegal coal mining, both individuals have also ventured into sand mining and real estate over the past few years.
ED officials reported that the two were arrested on Tuesday morning after a lengthy interrogation that began on Monday afternoon. They were subsequently presented before a special PMLA court, which ordered their custody until February 18.
Last month, ED Director Rahul Navin visited Kolkata to review the progress of investigations into high-profile financial irregularities in the state, including the coal smuggling case. During this period, raids were conducted at the offices and residences of coal traders in Asansol and Jamuria, resulting in the seizure of ₹1.5 crore from the home of a coal trader in Jamuria.
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My name is Bhupendra Singh Chundawat. I am an experienced content writer with several years of expertise in the field. Currently, I contribute to Daily Kiran, creating engaging and informative content across a variety of categories including technology, health, travel, education, and automobiles. My goal is to deliver accurate, insightful, and captivating information through my words to help readers stay informed and empowered.
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