In a fresh crackdown on alleged corruption in coal sales, a 60-member team from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) raided the Giddi-C project office and residences of several officials in Jharkhand’s Argadda area on Tuesday. The operation is part of an ongoing investigation into illegal money collection from local coal sales under Central Coalfields Limited (CCL).
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The early morning raid started around 9 AM, targeting the homes of several named suspects. Residences of Dispatch Officer Anil Kumar, security staff Naresh Kumar, and sales worker Deepak Kumar were searched along with those of lifters and contractors including Md. Tabarak (Hosir), Ajay Das and Arun Lal (Dadhi), and Israel Ansari (Dokabera). Simultaneously, the CBI team also questioned employees at the Giddi-C Project Officer’s office.
The raids lasted between three to six hours and caused significant stir among CCL employees, lifters, and local contractors involved in coal dispatch and logistics. According to officials, Naresh Kumar was brought in from his residence to the office for detailed questioning.
Second Raid in Two Weeks
This action comes just 12 days after a similar raid at Giddi-A project on June 12, where a 40-member CBI team investigated seven locations for the same allegations. Earlier, in February and March, the CBI had also conducted surprise inspections at Giddi-C and Railigarh projects based on complaints of illegal levies in local coal sales. Sources indicate that more such actions may follow in the nearby Railigarh project, as the probe deepens into corruption in coal dispatch operations across multiple sites.
CBI’s Focus on Widening Network
With multiple raids already conducted this year, the CBI has now registered formal cases and intensified its questioning of staff suspected of facilitating or benefitting from unauthorized coal sales. The agency’s increased activity signals a larger effort to root out systemic corruption in the coal industry’s local distribution networks. The crackdown has created widespread anxiety among staff in the Argadda area, with many anticipating further investigations in the days to come.
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