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Kolkata, Nov 22 (IANS) The total seizures made by Enforcement Directorate (ED) sleuths at several locations in West Bengal and Jharkhand in the coal smuggling case are estimated to be around Rs 10 crore.
According to sources, the cash seizure was more than Rs 3 crore, and the gold in the form of jewelery and bars was more than Rs 6 crore.
ED officials conducted simultaneous raids and search operations at 24 locations in Jharkhand and West Bengal.
Sources said the search operation was conducted acting on complaints of corruption and several irregularities related to financial transactions in coal exports.
A raid and search operation was conducted at the office and residence of a high-profile contractor of Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL), a subsidiary of Coal India Limited, in the Asansol coalfield in West Bengal.
The investigating agency also raided the residences of three other businessmen linked to coal business, two of them at Salt Lake on the northern outskirts of Kolkata and one at Salap Crossing in Howrah district adjacent to Kolkata.
According to sources, during raids in both the states, huge amounts of unaccounted cash and gold were recovered from three places in West Bengal.
However, ED officials are yet to reveal the exact locations of the three places from where the cash and gold were recovered.
ED officials also conducted raids and search operations in Purulia district.
ED and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) are conducting parallel investigations in the coal smuggling case worth crores of rupees.
Recently CBI told the court that the investigation of the case will be completed soon.
The latest raids by ED officials at several places in West Bengal and Jharkhand come just days after the CBI argued in the court in this regard.
–IANS
source/svn