Patna, Jan 17 (IANS) Senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader and MP Ravi Shankar Prasad on Friday said that the alleged obstruction of Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials by the West Bengal Chief Minister warrants a high-level inquiry.

Addressing a press conference at the BJP state office in Patna, Prasad said the issue was heard by the Supreme Court on Thursday and raised serious concerns regarding the functioning of the state administration.

According to Prasad, the Solicitor General of India informed the Supreme Court during the hearing that suspicious evidence of money laundering amounting to Rs 20 crore in the alleged coal scam had been found with the I-PAC company, making a detailed investigation necessary.

He said the matter is linked to an alleged coal scam worth around Rs 3,000 crore.

“The brutal manner in which the Bengal government tried to stop ED officials was heard by the Supreme Court yesterday. The court’s observations have raised several serious questions,” Prasad said.

He further alleged that coal is being smuggled from West Bengal and that money generated from the illegal activity is routed back from abroad through hawala channels.

“This coal scam is of approximately Rs 3,000 crore and involves large-scale money laundering,” he claimed.

Referring to the alleged incident, Prasad said that the West Bengal Chief Minister arrived at the spot where the ED action was underway and obstructed the proceedings.

“A strange and disturbing scene unfolded when police officers were seen running behind her carrying files. The Director General of Police and the Kolkata Police Commissioner were also present, which raises serious questions about the role of the administration,” he alleged.

Prasad said that, as a former Union Coal Minister, he is familiar with the functioning of coal mines in West Bengal.

“But under the Trinamool Congress regime, the situation has worsened significantly. Since law and order falls under the state government, the investigation was underway. The Solicitor General clearly told the Supreme Court that the ED action was linked to the investigation into the coal scam,” he said.

The BJP leader maintained that the alleged incident and the revelations made before the Supreme Court underline the need for a thorough and impartial inquiry into the matter.

–IANS

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