Guwahati: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) conducted a raid at West Bengal Law Minister Moloy Ghatak’s Asansol home on Wednesday in connection with the suspected coal scam case.
The Trinamool Congress politician Ghatak’s home in Asansol is one of six places in West Bengal where the CBI is reportedly conducting searches.
The Enforcement Directorate has already questioned Minister Ghatak in relation to the matter.
The CBI filed a coal smuggling case in November 2020, stating that a ring operating in western West Bengal sold thousands of crores’ worth of illegally mined coal.
Profits from the coal trade are alleged to have gone to political figures in this case.
Abhishek Banerjee, a TMC member and the nephew of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, was called before the ED last month in connection with an alleged coal mining case. He was ordered to appear at the agency’s Kolkata office on September 2.
It may be noted that last year, the ED has filed its chargesheet in the coal smuggling case at a special court in Delhi.
Vikash Mishra, the brother of the TMC Youth Wing’s leader Vinay Mishra, and former Bankura Police Station Officer-in-Charge Ashok Mishra were identified as the primary defendants in the chargesheet.
Abhishek Banerjee was not mentioned in the chargesheet, though.
Eight Indian Police Service (IPS) personnel assigned to West Bengal were also called up for questioning by the ED.