ED Freezes Properties Worth ₹2.66 Crore in Chhattisgarh Coal Scam

The Enforcement Directorate has issued a Provisional Attachment Order for properties valued at ₹2.66 crore linked to the Chhattisgarh coal levy scam. This action targets assets allegedly acquired through illegal activities by Saumya Chaurasia and Nikhil Chandrakar. Investigations reveal a widespread extortion racket involving senior politicians and bureaucrats, with significant funds being misappropriated. The ED continues to pursue leads in this high-profile case, which has seen multiple arrests and substantial asset seizures. Stay tuned for more updates on this unfolding investigation.

By Narendra Chaudhary Jan 12, 2026, 15:54 IST

Enforcement Directorate Takes Action in Coal Levy Case

Raipur, January 12: The Raipur Zonal Office of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has enacted a Provisional Attachment Order (PAO) under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, targeting eight immovable assets valued at around ₹2.66 crore, as stated by the agency on Monday.

The ED claims that these properties, which include land and residential flats, were allegedly acquired by the accused, Saumya Chaurasia and Nikhil Chandrakar, in the names of their relatives, using funds obtained from illegal coal levy collections and extortion in Chhattisgarh.

This action by the ED is part of ongoing investigations into a significant coal levy scam. The inquiry was initiated following an FIR filed by the Bengaluru Police, with a prosecution complaint submitted on June 19, 2023, by the Income Tax Department, and another FIR lodged on January 11, 2024, by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW)/Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) in Raipur.

Investigations have revealed that a group of private individuals, in collaboration with senior politicians and bureaucrats, operated an extortion scheme from July 2020 to June 2022.

During this period, they allegedly collected ₹25 per tonne of coal transported, accumulating approximately ₹540 crore in illegal levies. The funds obtained through extortion, classified as Proceeds of Crime (POC), were reportedly used to bribe officials and politicians, fund election campaigns, and acquire both movable and immovable assets.

The coal transportation sector in Chhattisgarh is at the heart of this scam. To date, the ED has identified and attached properties worth ₹273 crore belonging to various individuals implicated in this case.

So far, the agency has arrested 11 individuals and filed five Prosecution Complaints against 35 accused in front of the Special Court (PMLA).

This recent attachment focuses on 'benami' properties linked to prominent figures Saumya Chaurasia (former deputy secretary in the Chhattisgarh Chief Minister's Office) and Nikhil Chandrakar, emphasizing the use of family members to hide illicit profits.

The investigation is ongoing, with the ED actively tracing financial trails and uncovering additional assets. The coal levy scam has become a significant political and investigative issue in Chhattisgarh, involving multiple agencies and resulting in numerous arrests and asset confiscations over the years.