ED Attaches ₹100.44 Crore Assets In Illegal Coal Mining And Hawala Laundering Case Linked To ECL Areas

The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has provisionally attached assets worth ₹100.44 crore under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002, in connection with a large-scale illegal coal mining and pilferage racket operating in the leasehold areas of Eastern Coalfields Limited (ECL). The investigation centres on a syndicate allegedly led by Anup Majee alias Lala, which was engaged in systematic illegal excavation and distribution of coal across West Bengal, allegedly with the assistance of elements within the local administration.

According to the ED, the syndicate devised an elaborate mechanism using fake transport challans, popularly known as the “Lala pad,” issued in the names of non-existent firms to facilitate movement of illegally mined coal. Transporters were provided currency notes of ₹10 or ₹20 and instructed to photograph the note alongside the vehicle’s number plate carrying coal, which images were circulated via WhatsApp to officials along the route to avoid interception.

The probe further revealed the use of underground hawala networks to transfer proceeds of crime in cash, authenticated through pre-shared currency note serial numbers, enabling large sums to be moved without banking trails. Seized registers, digital data, accounting software records and WhatsApp communications indicate that the syndicate generated proceeds of crime of approximately ₹2,742 crore. The attached assets include immovable properties, fixed deposits and mutual fund investments held in the names of beneficiary companies, notably Shakambhari Ispat and Power Limited and Gagan Ferrotech Limited. With this attachment, the total assets seized in the case now stand at ₹322.71 crore. The ED stated that further investigation is underway to trace additional proceeds of crime and identify all beneficiaries involved in the laundering network.