ED Raids 40+ Locations In Jharkhand And Bengal In Massive Crackdown On Coal Mafia
The Enforcement Directorate on Friday launched one of its biggest and most coordinated crackdowns on illegal coal networks , sweeping through more than 40 locations across Jharkhand and West Bengal. The operation, carried out after the agency received specific intelligence inputs, saw ED teams from the Ranchi and Kolkata offices begin searches early in the morning to ensure maximum impact and minimal chance of evidence being destroyed.
Officials said the raids spanned a wide range of premises linked to individuals suspected of operating or supporting illegal coal mining, transportation, and storage chains. These networks, long under the scanner for siphoning off coal through unauthorised channels, have been known to operate through complex layers of intermediaries. In West Bengal alone, the ED searched 24 locations spread across Durgapur, Purulia, Howrah, and Kolkata. During these searches, the agency recovered a substantial amount of cash and jewellery, photographs of which were later shared publicly, indicating the scale of the financial irregularities under investigation.
“It is a coordinated action at more than 40 premises against coal mafias in Jharkhand and West Bengal,” officials told ANI, highlighting the extensive planning behind the operation.
Meanwhile, in Jharkhand, the Ranchi zonal office conducted searches at 18 premises tied to ongoing probes into coal theft and smuggling rackets. These searches are connected to cases involving several individuals, including Anil Goyal, Sanjay Udhyog, LB Singh, and Amar Mandal, all of whom have been on the ED’s radar in relation to suspected illegal coal-related activities. Properties linked to Narendra Kharka, Yudhistir Ghosh, Krishna Murari Kayal, and others were also examined during the operation.
With significant recoveries already made and multiple networks now under deeper scrutiny, the ED’s action marks a substantial step toward dismantling the entrenched coal mafia structure in the region. The crackdown is expected to lead to further developments as investigations progress and more links within the illegal coal ecosystem are traced.
Officials said the raids spanned a wide range of premises linked to individuals suspected of operating or supporting illegal coal mining, transportation, and storage chains. These networks, long under the scanner for siphoning off coal through unauthorised channels, have been known to operate through complex layers of intermediaries. In West Bengal alone, the ED searched 24 locations spread across Durgapur, Purulia, Howrah, and Kolkata. During these searches, the agency recovered a substantial amount of cash and jewellery, photographs of which were later shared publicly, indicating the scale of the financial irregularities under investigation.
“It is a coordinated action at more than 40 premises against coal mafias in Jharkhand and West Bengal,” officials told ANI, highlighting the extensive planning behind the operation.
Meanwhile, in Jharkhand, the Ranchi zonal office conducted searches at 18 premises tied to ongoing probes into coal theft and smuggling rackets. These searches are connected to cases involving several individuals, including Anil Goyal, Sanjay Udhyog, LB Singh, and Amar Mandal, all of whom have been on the ED’s radar in relation to suspected illegal coal-related activities. Properties linked to Narendra Kharka, Yudhistir Ghosh, Krishna Murari Kayal, and others were also examined during the operation.
With significant recoveries already made and multiple networks now under deeper scrutiny, the ED’s action marks a substantial step toward dismantling the entrenched coal mafia structure in the region. The crackdown is expected to lead to further developments as investigations progress and more links within the illegal coal ecosystem are traced.
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