Who Are the Seven Arrested in Jharkhand's Illegal Coal Transport Case?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Seven arrests made in connection with illegal coal transport in Jharkhand.
- Involvement of CCL employees in extortion activities.
- CBI's ongoing investigation aims to uncover further links.
- Evidence collected from multiple raids.
- Highlighting corruption issues within the coal sector.
Ranchi, Sep 9 (NationPress) – On Tuesday, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) apprehended seven individuals, including three personnel from Central Coalfields Limited (CCL), in relation to unlawful recovery and extortion activities during coal transportation in the Giddi region of Jharkhand's Ramgarh district, according to a statement from the agency.
The arrests were executed by the Ranchi unit of the CBI’s Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB), which initiated an investigation following allegations of organized extortion affecting coal traders and transporters.
As reported by CBI officials, a commission was being unlawfully extracted for the clearance of trucks and facilitation of coal transport. The accused purportedly operated systematically, coercing traders to pay bribes in exchange for the passage of coal-laden trucks during road sales.
The detained CCL staff members have been named as Anil Kumar, Deepak Kumar, and Naresh Kumar, who allegedly manipulated transaction processes to defraud funds.
Anil Kumar serves as the Security Officer/Manager (Mining) of the Giddi C Colliery Project, Argada Area of CCL; Deepak Kumar is a Clerk Grade-III of the colliery; and Naresh Kumar is a security guard.
Moreover, four additional suspects – Mohd Saddam, Israel Ansari, Mohd Tabarak, and Arun Lal – were detained for their roles as coal lifters and brokers, accused of gathering illegal payments for allowing coal lifting, as stated by CBI.
The ACB has registered a case under RC 9(A)/2025-R and conducted several raids in the Giddi area, during which it collected evidence of the extortion operation.
The investigators discovered that the accused had maintained this operation for a significant duration, siphoning funds from traders and transporters under the pretext of commission.
“All the apprehended individuals will be presented before the court. The investigation is ongoing to uncover other individuals connected to this network,” a senior CBI official commented, noting that the roles of additional officials and middlemen are currently under investigation.
This enforcement action arises amidst escalating concerns regarding corruption within Jharkhand's coal sector, where reports of illegal charges and malpractices have frequently surfaced.