The Enforcement Directorate on Thursday identified the Shakambhari Group, an unlisted industrial conglomerate based in West Bengal, as a major end-user of illegally mined coal while probing a multi-crore coal smuggling racket linked to Eastern Coalfields Limited (ECL) areas.
In a statement issued after searches in West Bengal and Delhi, the ED said a “large part” of coal illegally extracted from ECL leasehold regions was supplied to manufacturing units operated by the Shakambhari Group in districts including Bankura, Purulia and Bardhaman.
The probe is based on a 2020 CBI FIR against alleged coal smuggling kingpin Anup Majee and others.
The agency said it has uncovered a layered money-laundering network involving hawala operators to route proceeds of crime. One operator allegedly facilitated transactions worth “tens of crores of rupees” to Indian PAC Consulting Private Limited.
Searches were conducted at 10 locations as part of the ongoing investigation.
