New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) launched a massive crackdown Friday morning, simultaneously raiding 42 locations across Bengal and Jharkhand in connection with illegal coal mining, transportation, and storage. Over 100 ED officers, accompanied by armed central forces, carried out the operations, which began at 6 am and continue to unfold.
In Bengal, the ED targeted 24 sites, including homes, offices, and coke plants across Durgapur, Purulia, Howrah, and Kolkata. In Jharkhand, 18 locations were raided, spanning residential and commercial premises. Early reports suggest one of the Bengal properties belonged to a contractor associated with Bharat Coking Coal Limited, a subsidiary of Coal India Limited.
Raids revealed large amounts of cash and jewellery. In Bengal, one site reportedly held nearly Rs 70 lakh in Rs 500 notes, while another contained close to Rs 30 lakh. Additionally, multiple boxes of gold and silver jewellery were seized. Jharkhand raids yielded similar results, including stacks of notes amounting to over Rs 1 crore.
Bengal’s coal fields, spread across Birbhum, Purulia, Paschim Bardhaman, and Bankura, have faced issues with illegal mining for years. The first complaint by Eastern Coalfieds Ltd came in 2020, leading to 597 investigations and 28 arrests between 2020 and 2021.
Authorities have not confirmed the links between the seized assets and the individuals involved in the illegal mining. However, the timing of the raids is likely to intensify political tensions in Bengal, especially with state elections approaching next year. The operations signal the central probe agency’s continued focus on coal sector irregularities and underline ongoing scrutiny over illegal mining networks.
The ED’s crackdown highlights both the scale of illegal coal operations in eastern India and the growing enforcement push by central authorities ahead of critical political events.
