The CBI has arrested four individuals, including three CCL employees, for running a bribery racket in the Giddi-A coal project in Ramgarh district of Jharkhand. Further investigation is ongoing.
A massive corruption scandal has come to light in Central Coalfields Limited’s (CCL) Giddi-A Colliery Project in Hazaribagh, Jharkhand, as the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested four individuals, including three CCL employees, on charges of bribery, illegal coal transportation, and extortion. The arrests include project manager (mining) Ayodhya Karmali, clerks Mukesh Kumar (also known as Rupesh Kumar) and Prakash Mahli, along with a private coal lifter Vijay Kumar Singh. The operation, led by the CBI’s Anti-Corruption Branch in Ranchi, follows months of surveillance and investigation triggered by internal complaints of rampant bribery within the Giddi-A project.
The Investigation and Arrests
The CBI, in coordination with CCL’s vigilance team, conducted a surprise raid on 6th March 2025, at the Giddi-A project office. During the inspection, key evidence, including mobile data and digital transaction records, revealing large-scale bribery involving digital payments and cash exchanges. Ayodhya Karmali, the project manager, confessed during interrogation that a fixed commission of Rs. 1,800 per truck was being illicitly collected from coal transporters and lifters for every load moved. Each month, he reportedly received up to Rs. 10 lakh through this illegal channel. Mukesh Kumar, a clerk, was found handling a bulk of the transactions and coordination with private lifters. His PhonePe account showed suspicious transfers totaling Rs. 3.05 lakh, and further evidence linked him to transactions of Rs. 2.03 lakh from coal lifter Vijay Singh. Prakash Mahli, another employee posted at the nearby Religarha Colliery, was also implicated. His mobile records revealed suspicious digital transfers amounting to Rs. 4.98 lakh from multiple private lifters. Vijay Kumar Singh, the private coal lifter, admitted to paying bribes to facilitate uninterrupted coal lifting and transport. The payments were largely made through UPI-based mobile apps like PhonePe, which helped the agency trace and document the illegal money flow.
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CBI Charges and Court Proceedings
The case was officially registered on 5th June under various sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (as amended in 2018) and relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, India’s updated criminal code. The arrested individuals were produced before the special CBI court in Ranchi on 15th July 2025. All four have been sent to judicial custody at Birsa Munda Central Jail, Hotwar, for 14 days. The next hearing is scheduled for 22nd July 2025.
A Broader Network of Corruption
The probe revealed a network of local coal brokers and lifters allegedly involved in systematic payoffs. Names like Vinod Dangi, Rajesh Saw, Bablu Singh, Amjad Hussain (a lorry broker), and several others have emerged during the scrutiny of mobile records and UPI transactions. These individuals reportedly paid CCL officials to ensure priority access and smooth operations in lifting and transporting coal often bypassing legal protocols and fair allocation systems. The use of digital wallets, such as PhonePe, made it easier for investigators to trace the illicit payments. However, the CBI has not ruled out the possibility of large cash transactions as well, especially since some officials were allegedly receiving bribes directly in hand.
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Aftermath and Institutional Response
The arrests have sent shockwaves through the coal industry in Jharkhand. CCL has reportedly tightened vigilance across other projects following this scandal. Sources indicate that further arrests and suspensions may follow, as the CBI expands its investigation. An internal review committee within CCL has been formed to assess lapses in monitoring and to recommend systemic reforms to prevent similar malpractices.
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