Chhattisgarh Coal Levy Extortion case: ED seizes 81 immovable properties

Raipur (Chhattisgarh) [India], June 21 : Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has seized possession of 81 immovable properties and issued an eviction notice in respect of 10 immovable properties in connection with the Chhattisgarh Coal Levy Extortion case.

"ED has taken possession of 81 immovable properties and issued Eviction Notice in respect of 10 immovable properties in the Chhattisgarh Coal Levy Extortion case subsequent to Adjudicating Authority (PMLA), confirming the Provisional Attachment by its order dated 1.6.2023", said ED in a statement.

It further stated that it had earlier attached movable and immovable properties worth crores beneficially owned by the Chhattisgarh Chief Minister's Deputy Secretary Saumya Chaurasia and three others.

"ED had earlier attached movable and 91 immovable properties worth Rs 152.31 Crore beneficially owned by Saumya Chaurasia, Deputy Secretary to the Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh, Suryakant Tiwari, Sunil Agrawal and Sameer Vishnoi IAS and others", the statement read.

Earlier in January this year, ED provisionally attached 51 immovable properties worth Rs 17.48 crore approximately in the illegal coal levy extortion scam in Chhattisgarh.

According to the ED statement, the attached properties include eight benami immovable properties worth Rs 7.57 crore which are beneficially owned by Saumya Chaurasia, Deputy Secretary to Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel. The remaining 43 benami properties are beneficially controlled by Suryakant Tiwari.

ED had previously issued a Provisional Attachment Order on December 9, 2022, attaching properties worth Rs 152.31 crore belonging to Suryakant Tiwari, Sameer Vishnoi IAS, Saumya Chaurasia, Chhattisgarh Civil Service Officer, Sunil Agarwal and others.