In a significant development in the high-profile illegal coal levy case, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday announced the attachment of eight immovable properties valued at approximately ₹2.66 crore. These assets are allegedly linked to suspended Chhattisgarh administrative officer Saumya Chaurasia and businessman Nikhil Chandrakar.
Details of the Attached Properties and Allegations
The federal probe agency stated that the attached assets, comprising land parcels and residential flats, were acquired in the names of relatives using proceeds of crime. The action was taken under a Provisional Attachment Order (PAO) issued under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). According to the ED, a well-organized network of private individuals, in "active connivance with senior state politicians and bureaucrats," operated a massive extortion racket targeting coal transporters between July 2020 and June 2022.
The syndicate allegedly imposed an illegal levy of ₹25 per tonne of coal transported across Chhattisgarh. Based on documentary evidence, financial trails, and witness statements, the ED claims the group illegally collected about ₹540 crore during this period, which coincided with the tenure of the previous Congress government in the state.
Election Funding and Bribes: ED's Explosive Claim
The ED's statement included a major allegation that a portion of the "extortion money" was diverted for election financing. The agency further claimed that another part of the illicit funds was funneled to bureaucrats and political office-bearers as kickbacks. The extorted cash was allegedly used to bribe officials, fund election-related expenses, and acquire movable and immovable assets.
The eight newly attached properties are linked to Saumya Chaurasia, the former deputy secretary in the Chhattisgarh Chief Minister's Office (CMO), who is now suspended, and Nikhil Chandrakar, who is accused of managing cash flows and property purchases. The ED asserted these assets were purchased through benami (proxy) arrangements and registered in the names of family members and associates.
Scale of the Scam and Ongoing Investigation
With this latest attachment, the total value of properties seized so far in the coal levy money laundering case has reached a staggering ₹273 crore. The ED revealed that the illegal collection mechanism, involving transporters, agents, and politically connected individuals, first came to light through income tax raids and statements recorded in 2022.
To date, eleven people have been arrested by the ED in connection with the case. The agency confirmed that further investigation is actively underway to trace additional proceeds of crime and identify the remaining beneficiaries of what it describes as one of the biggest extortion-linked money laundering cases in Chhattisgarh's history.
