The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has named Pachami Basalt Mining Limited in its chargesheet related to a sand smuggling case, where money from the illegal activity was allegedly invested into this company by the owner of GD Mining, Arun Sharaf. The ED has accused GD Mining of being part of the money laundering process involving this company.
The inclusion of Pachami Basalt Mining Limited’s name in the ED’s chargesheet has stirred controversy, especially after questions were raised by CPI(M) state secretary Md Salim regarding the company winning the tender for the Deocha-Pachami project in West Bengal’s Birbhum district. The state government had revoked the tender to Pachami Basalt Mining Limited just days before the ED filed its chargesheet in the sand smuggling case.
The ED has claimed that funds from sand smuggling were funneled through this company. Despite the chargesheet mentioning corruption amounting to around Rs 145 crore through GD Mining, the ultimate destination of this money remains unspecified. Notably, significant amounts of cash were discovered during searches at the residence of sand trader Sourav Roy in Midnapore, but this recovery was reportedly not detailed in the chargesheet.
The Deocha-Pachami coal block, set to be India’s largest coal mine, has faced numerous challenges from the outset, including issues with coal extraction and land acquisition. Protests by landowners caused delays and political unrest, but most land-related disputes have now been resolved, paving the way for the project’s progress.
