Kolkata, Nov 21 (IANS) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) was on Friday conducting simultaneous raids and search operations in multiple locations in West Bengal, including the state capital Kolkata, in connection with a multi-crore coal smuggling scam.

Sources said the central investigating agency officials are also conducting parallel raids and search operations in some locations in neighbouring Jharkhand, including the state’s coal belt of Dhanbad.

Although the exact number of places in these two states where the raid and search operations were not known at the time the report was filed, sources said that the number will not be less than 20.

The places in West Bengal where simultaneous raid and search operations are being conducted since early morning include the offices and residences of coal traders and coal mining contractors in Kolkata, Salt Lake (in the northern outskirts of Kolkata), Howrah, and the state’s coal belt of Asansol in West Burdwan district.

The teams of ED officials conducting raid and search operations are all escorted by the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) personnel.

Sources said that places in West Bengal where the raid and search operations are conducted include the office and residence of a high-profile contractor of Coal India Limited’s subsidiary Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL) at Asansol.

Raids and search operations by the ED officials are also being conducted at the office and residence of the younger brother of the BCCL contractor.

At Salt Lake, the raid and search operations are being conducted at the residences of two businessmen linked to coal trading and exports.

Similarly, the ED officials have reached the residence of another businessman at Salap Crossing in the Kolkata-adjacent Howrah district.

The ED and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) have been conducting parallel probes in the multi-crore coal smuggling case. Recently, CBI has informed the court that the investigation in the matter will be wound up soon. The current raids by the ED officials at multiple locations in West Bengal and Jharkhand come just a few days after the CBI’s submission at the court on this count.

–IANS

src/dpb