Kolkata, May 23 (IANS) The Enforcement Directorate (ED), which has become active again in the multi-crore coal smuggling case in West Bengal, has issued summons to an inspector-rank officer of West Bengal Police and five coal traders for questioning.
The police officer summoned by the ED is Monoranjan Mondal, former Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Budbud Police Station under the Asansol-Durgapur Police Commissionerate in West Burdwan district.
Earlier, during the previous Trinamool Congress regime in West Bengal, Mondal had been summoned several times by the ED for questioning. However, he allegedly did not respond to the summons and avoided appearing at the agency’s Salt Lake office on the northern outskirts of Kolkata.
Now, with the new regime in place in West Bengal, the ED has issued Mondal a fresh interrogation notice. It remains to be seen whether he responds to the summons this time.
The coal traders summoned by the ED along with Mondal are Krishna Kayal, Ritesh Lokesh Singh, Yudhisthir Ghosh and Narendra Kharka.
Sources aware of the development said 12 other coal traders in West Burdwan district are also under the ED scanner.
In its subsequent chargesheets related to the coal smuggling case in West Bengal, the ED repeatedly claimed that the smuggling operations were carried out through a close nexus involving coal traders, officers of central forces, officials of Coal India Limited subsidiary Eastern Coalfields Limited and a section of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), which is responsible for security at public sector coal mines.
Earlier, the ED had also informed a special court under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in Kolkata about huge amounts allegedly being credited to Mondal’s bank accounts within a short span of time.
Mondal was also accused by the ED of possessing assets disproportionate to his known sources of income.
In March this year, ED officials conducted raid and search operations at Mondal’s residence in Durgapur in West Burdwan district.
–IANS
src/pgh