STATE Economic Offences Investigation and AntiCorruption Bureau (SEOIACB) on Monday filed its sixth supplementary chargesheet, running into about 9,500 pages, against 12 accused in the alleged Rs 500-crore-plus coal levy scam before the Special Court under the Prevention of Corruption Act in Raipur. The chargesheet in Crime No 03/2024 covers alleged illegal collections from coal and iron-pellet transportation, criminal conspiracy, misuse of Government processes and movement and investment of proceeds. Those named are Ram Gopal Agrawal, Devendra Singh Yadav, Vinod Tiwari, Rampratap Singh, Chandradev Prasad Rai, Jayprakash Maurya, Piyush Kumar Sahu, Jogender Singh, Anurag Chaurasia, Dipesh Tank, Sunil Kumar Agrawal and Rahul Mishra. According to SEOIACB, investigation found that Suryakant Tiwari, allegedly acting with officials and associates, created a system to collect Rs 25 per tonne from coal traders and transporters. A July 15, 2020 order made District Mineral Officer approval mandatory before online e-permits were issued. The agency alleges transportation clearance progressed only after illegal payment. Investigators have cited seized diaries, WhatsApp chats, banking transactions, property documents and digital evidence concerning issuance of the July 2020 order.

 

The chargesheet also refers to alleged resthouse bookings in the name of ‘CM House’ during visits by Tiwari and associates, besides seized corporate correspondence concerning the Rs 25-per-tonne levy. SEOIACB further alleges collection of Rs 100 per tonne on iron-ore pellet transportation after a transit-pass system was introduced in January 2022. It attributed a role to then Director, Geology and Mining, Jayprakash Maurya, alleging pellet industry representatives were asked to pay Tiwari or his associates. The agency claims seized diary entries record Rs 104.20 crore under ‘Bhawan’ and ‘C PARTY’, linked during investigation to Ram Gopal Agrawal; Rs 3 crore to Devendra Singh Yadav; about Rs 2.12 crore to Vinod Tiwari; Rs 2.93 crore to Rampratap Singh; Rs 49.50 lakh to Chandradev Rai; and Rs 1 crore to Maurya. These remain prosecution allegations subject to judicial determination. The chargesheet also details alleged investment of levy proceeds in land, washeries and other properties, cash handling and transactions through firms and family accounts. SEOIACB said one main and five supplementary chargesheets had earlier been filed. Further investigation into other suspects and remaining transactions continues with court permission under Section 173(8) of the Code of Criminal Procedure