Soumya Chaurasia is in jail from 2 December 2022
Soumya Chaurasia, who was a powerful and influential officer in the previous Congress government, was arrested by ED on 2 December 2022 in the coal scam and money laundering case. Since then he is lodged in Central Jail Raipur.
Earlier, the Supreme Court had rejected Soumya’s bail plea in the coal scam and money laundering case. The court had also imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh on him for presenting wrong facts. The bail petition filed by Chaurasia has also been rejected in Bilaspur High Court.
What is the allegation against Soumya Chaurasia?
In fact, the Central Investigation Agency Enforcement Directorate had started investigation into the illegal extortion of Rs 500 crore in the alleged coal scam in Chhattisgarh. After which a case of money laundering was registered. The rules for recovery were changed. According to ED, Soumya Chaurasia had influence over Congress leader Suryakant Tiwari.
ED had arrested Suryakant Tiwari, coal washery operator Sunil Aggarwal, IAS Sameer Bishnoi, IAS Ranu Sahu, Saumya Chaurasia and others on different dates in this case. ED alleges that this scam was worth around Rs 500 crore. Movable and immovable properties were acquired from the money received from this levy, many of which are also benami.
EOW has interrogated in jail
After the ED report, EOW is investigating the coal scam case. EOW has registered a named FIR against 36 people related to this case. In this case, the EOW Raipur team has interrogated the suspended officer Soumya Chaurasia and IAS Ranu Sahu lodged in the Central Jail.
In the coal levy case, after interrogating both the accused for 3 days, many important information was obtained. Soon other people may be interrogated in this related matter.
What happened so far in the coal scam case
ED has so far arrested 11 people in this case including businessman Suryakant Tiwari, officer Soumya Chaurasia working in the secretariat of former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, IAS Sameer Vishnoi. Assets worth Rs 222 crore have been attached and investigation into this entire matter is going on.
The Enforcement Directorate had filed a complaint with the ACB considering it to be a major economic crime of the state apart from money laundering.
The application has also been rejected by the Supreme Court
Four months ago, Soumya Chaurasia’s bail plea was also rejected by the Supreme Court. Along with this, the Supreme Court has also imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh on him for presenting wrong facts. Read the full news..
