Bengal coal smuggling: ED summons police officer, 5 traders for questioning
Synopsis
The ED has revived its Bengal coal smuggling probe with fresh summons to a police officer who reportedly dodged earlier notices and five coal traders — a move that signals the change in West Bengal's government may be reshaping how central agencies operate in the state.
Key Takeaways
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has issued fresh summons to Monoranjan Mondal , former OC of Budbud Police Station , and five coal traders in the Bengal coal smuggling case.
Mondal had allegedly ignored multiple earlier summons during the previous TMC government in West Bengal.
The ED has previously alleged large unexplained credits in Mondal's bank accounts and assets disproportionate to his income; his Durgapur residence was raided in March 2025 .
Coal traders Krishna Kayal , Ritesh Lokesh Singh , Yudhisthir Ghosh , and Narendra Kharka have also been summoned.
12 other coal traders in West Burdwan district are reportedly under the ED's scanner.
The ED's chargesheets allege a nexus involving coal traders, Eastern Coalfields Limited officials, and a section of the CISF .
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has issued fresh summons to an inspector-rank West Bengal Police officer and five coal traders in connection with the multi-crore coal smuggling case in West Bengal, signalling a renewed push by the federal financial crimes agency in a probe that had slowed in recent months.
The Officer in the Crosshairs
The police officer summoned is Monoranjan Mondal, former Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Budbud Police Station under the Asansol-Durgapur Police Commissionerate in West Burdwan district. Mondal had previously been served multiple summons by the ED during the earlier All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) government in West Bengal, but reportedly failed to appear at the agency's Salt Lake office on each occasion.
With a new government now in place in West Bengal, the ED has issued Mondal a fresh interrogation notice. Whether he responds this time remains to be seen, according to sources familiar with the matter.
The ED had earlier informed a special court under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in Kolkata that large sums were allegedly credited to Mondal's bank accounts within a short period. The agency has also accused him of possessing assets disproportionate to his known sources of income. In March 2025, ED officials conducted raid and search operations at Mondal's residence in Durgapur.
Coal Traders Under the Scanner
The four coal traders summoned alongside Mondal are Krishna Kayal, Ritesh Lokesh Singh, Yudhisthir Ghosh, and Narendra Kharka. According to sources aware of the development, 12 other coal traders in West Burdwan district are also under the ED's scanner.
The Alleged Nexus
In successive chargesheets filed in the coal smuggling case, the ED has repeatedly alleged that the operations were run through a structured nexus involving coal traders, officers of central forces, officials of Coal India Limited subsidiary Eastern Coalfields Limited (ECL), and a section of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) — the paramilitary unit responsible for guarding public sector coal mines.
This is among the most sprawling money laundering investigations linked to West Bengal in recent years, with the ED's chargesheets pointing to systematic leakage of coal from ECL mines over an extended period.
What Happens Next
The fresh summons mark a clear escalation after a period of relative inactivity in the probe. Legal observers note that the change in the state government may have altered the political calculus around cooperation with central agencies. The ED is expected to use the questioning sessions to map financial trails and potentially identify additional accused. Further raids and arrests cannot be ruled out if the agency finds non-compliance with the notices.
Point of View
Paramilitary, and a public sector coal company — which makes it structurally significant beyond any individual accused. If the ED secures cooperation this time and follows the financial trail into ECL and CISF ranks, the case could become one of the more consequential institutional accountability probes in recent Bengal history. The risk is that it stalls again the moment political winds shift.
NationPress
8 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Bengal coal smuggling case?
The Bengal coal smuggling case is a multi-crore money laundering investigation by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) into the alleged systematic theft and illegal sale of coal from Eastern Coalfields Limited (ECL) mines in West Bengal. The ED's chargesheets allege a nexus involving coal traders, ECL officials, and sections of the CISF.
Who is Monoranjan Mondal and why has the ED summoned him?
Monoranjan Mondal is a former Officer-in-Charge of Budbud Police Station in West Burdwan district. The ED has summoned him for questioning over alleged large unexplained deposits in his bank accounts and assets disproportionate to his known income; he reportedly did not respond to earlier summons during the previous state government's tenure.
Which coal traders have been summoned by the ED?
The ED has summoned Krishna Kayal, Ritesh Lokesh Singh, Yudhisthir Ghosh, and Narendra Kharka, along with Monoranjan Mondal. According to sources, 12 additional coal traders in West Burdwan district are also under the agency's scanner.
Why is the ED reviving this probe now?
The ED has issued fresh summons following a change of government in West Bengal. Mondal had allegedly avoided appearing before the agency multiple times during the previous administration, and the new political environment appears to have prompted the agency to reissue notices.
What action has the ED already taken against Mondal?
The ED conducted raids at Mondal's residence in Durgapur in March 2025 and has previously informed a special PMLA court in Kolkata about large sums allegedly credited to his bank accounts. He has also been accused of holding disproportionate assets.
