ED makes third arrest in West Bengal coal mining case

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday said it has arrested a person in connection with a money laundering case pertaining to illegal coal mining in West Bengal.

This is the third arrest in the case. Earlier, two police officials of West Bengal Police department were placed under arrest and a chargesheet was filed against them in 2021.

A senior ED official said the accused Gurupada Maji was placed under arrest as per section 19(1) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.

The ED produced Maji at Rouse Avenue Court on Friday. The court sent him to seven-day custodial remand.

"He is one of the partners of Anup Majee, the kingpin of illegal coal mining business activities in West Bengal. Maji has received more than Rs 66 crore from the proceeds of crime generated through illegal coal mining business from Majee and his associates. Further, he had provided Rs 26 crore in cash to a Kolkata-based chartered accountant for arranging shell companies for the purpose of taking accommodation entries," said the ED official.

The official added that Maji had acquired 13 shell companies with the help of the above Kolkata-based CA.

The net worth of these 13 shell companies is more than Rs 28 crore but he acquired these companies after paying only Rs 88 lakh on paper to respective shareholders, thereby managing to bring illegally generated cash in financial system.

Earlier, two accused persons, Vikas Mishra and Ashok Kumar Mishra, Inspector-in-Charge of West Bengal Police, were arrested on March 16, 2021, and April 3, 2021, respectively.

In this case, one prosecution complaint (charge sheet) was also filed on May 13, 2021, against both the accused.