The Enforcement Directorate (ED) intensified its investigation into the coal smuggling racket on Tuesday, conducting raids at nine locations across West Bengal, including Kolkata. Sources said simultaneous searches were also carried out at multiple locations in Delhi as part of the same operation.
Early in the morning, a large ED team – comprising around 25-30 officials accompanied by central forces – reached the Nabagram area of West Burdwan district. The operation is aimed at probing the alleged illegal extraction of coal from Eastern Coalfields Limited (ECL) and the subsequent smuggling network. Searches began simultaneously in several areas, including Kolkata, Asansol, Durgapur and Pandabeshwar.
According to ED sources, scrutiny of documents seized during earlier raids over the past few months has brought the names of several businessmen to the fore. Investigators have reportedly prepared a list of nine individuals believed to be directly or indirectly involved in the alleged corruption.
As part of Tuesday’s operation, ED officials reached the Durgapur residence of sand businessman Prabir Dutta, who has long been associated with the sand business and earlier lived in Panagarh. He shifted to his newly-built house in Durgapur about two years ago. Sources claimed that he had recently travelled to Dubai.
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A tense situation reportedly unfolded at the Durgapur residence when ED officials were initially denied entry. Officials later entered the house with the assistance of central forces and began searches. The agency is also probing the possible involvement of others linked to the alleged racket and has carried out searches at the residence of Dutta’s brother as well.
The fresh round of raids comes days after the ED conducted searches at the house and office of I-PAC owner Prateek Jain in connection with the same coal smuggling case. That episode led to a political confrontation after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee visited the I-PAC office during the raid, accompanied by then Kolkata Police Commissioner Manoj Verma.
The Chief Minister had alleged that the ED was attempting to seize sensitive party-related materials, including election data and documents. The ED subsequently approached the Supreme Court, alleging obstruction of its investigation, while Mamata filed a counter-petition. The latest ED action, carried out just ahead of the crucial hearing, is being viewed as significant in the broader coal smuggling investigation.
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