The Enforcement Directorate (ED) apprehended two well-known coal traders from West Bengal on Tuesday in connection with a multi-crore coal smuggling investigation. The arrested individuals are identified as Kiran Khan and Chinmay Mondal. Mondal, recognized as a close associate of Anup Maji, also known as Lala, a key figure implicated in the coal smuggling scandal.
Both Khan and Mondal had been under interrogation by ED officials since Monday, and they were taken into custody early Tuesday morning. Sources familiar with the situation revealed that their arrest was prompted by their consistent attempts to mislead investigators with contradictory statements.
The arrested traders are scheduled to appear before a special court under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in Kolkata, where the ED counsel will request their custody for further questioning. The ED had also summoned Monoranjan Hazra, the officer-in-charge at Budbud Police Station, linked to the Asansol-Durgapur Police Commissionerate (ADPC), for interrogation regarding the coal smuggling case.
During a recent raid at Hazra’s residence, the ED seized crucial documents related to the case, leading to the issuance of an interrogation notice. The examination of these documents provided significant leads in the coal-smuggling probe, prompting further action by the ED. Rahul Navin, ED’s Director, visited Kolkata last month to review progress in various financial irregularity cases, including the coal smuggling investigation.
Last month, ED officials conducted raids at the premises of coal traders in West Burdwan districts, recovering Rs 1.50 crore from a trader’s residence in Jamuria.
