The Supreme Court has issued a notice regarding an Enforcement Directorate (ED) plea seeking the cancellation of anticipatory bail granted to Anup Majee, also known as “Lala,” in a money laundering case related to illegal coal mining in West Bengal. Majee, alleged to be the main person behind the illegal coal excavation and theft worth around Rs 2,700 crore, had been granted anticipatory bail by the Delhi High Court.
The ED argued that Majee had absconded and initially did not cooperate with the investigation despite multiple summons. On the contrary, Majee’s counsel stated that he had cooperated with the investigation and that custodial interrogation was unnecessary. The ED’s challenge to the Delhi High Court’s decision granting anticipatory bail to Majee is based on the assertion that the conditions under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act were not met.
The ED claimed that Majee was a key figure in an illegal mining syndicate that misappropriated coal worth Rs 2,742.32 crore from Eastern Coalfields Limited leasehold areas. The investigation revealed a complex network involving fake transport documents and hawala channels to conceal the origin of funds.
