The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has taken possession of 81 immovable properties and issued eviction notice in respect of 10 more in the multi-crore coal levy extortion scam of Rs 540 crore in Chhattisgarh, it was announced on Thursday.
The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) had attached movable and 91 immovable properties worth Rs 152.31 crores beneficially owned by civil services officer Saumya Chaurasia, coal businessman Suryakant Tiwari, Sunil Agrawal and IAS officer Sameer Vishnoi on December 9, 2022, an ED statement said.
An original complaint was filed before the Adjudicating Authority (PMLA) in New Delhi on January 5. After giving opportunity to all the defendants and hearing arguments of both sides, the Adjudicating Authority (PMLA) has confirmed ED’s attachment of the properties.
Earlier, ED had issued two provisional attachment orders on January 29 and May 8 respectively for properties worth Rs 68.88 crore belonging to the treasurer of the Chhattisgarh Congress, Ram Gopal Agrawal, Bhilai MLA Devendra Yadav, Bilaigarh MLA Chandradev Prasad Rai, Suryakant Tiwari, Saumya Chaurasia, Sunil Agarwal and others which are being adjudicated by PMLA.
So far nine persons have been arrested and are in judicial custody.