'BJP Misusing Agencies...': Chhattisgarh Congress Cries Foul Amid ED Raids In Coal Scam

Chhattisgarh Congress has accused the BJP of unleashing a 'conspiracy' as the Enforcement Directorate (ED) crackdown in connection with the alleged coal levy scam is currently underway at multiple locations. Notably, the searches are being carried out at the premises of two Congress MLAs, one party spokesperson, and the treasurer.

Congress slams BJP for Chhattisgarh ED raids

As the Congress leaders are under the agency's scanner, Sushil Anand Shukla, state communication chairman alleged that this action is BJP's deliberate attempt to hamper their ongoing convention. He added that the saffron party is nervous that they might lose their credibility, as whenever they are 'politically incompetent', they tend to misuse central agencies. 

"BJP has got nervous as the 50th Congress session is being held in Chhattisgarh. In order to disturb the party's convention, they deliberately involved ED to disturb the session. Whenever BJP is unable to compete politically it begins misusing central institutions like ED and CBI. The eyes of the country and the world are fixed on the session of the Congress in Chhattisgarh," alleged Sushil Anand Shukla.

He added, "BJP has this fear that it might completely lose credibility from the session of the Congress. They want to disturb the Congress session by raiding the houses of Congress leaders before the session. We will not be afraid and fight back. We will have this session in a grand way."

ED's raid in Chhattisgarh coal levy scam

ED, accompanied by Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawans, raided 14 locations in Chhattisgarh on Monday pertaining to its ongoing money laundering investigation into an alleged coal levy scam in the state. As per the sources, the ED is suspecting that around Rs 60-70 crore has been diverted to party funds and to the individual MLAs. The Congress leaders came under the central agency's scanner a month after the top bureaucrats were arrested in January 2023 in the same case.

The investigation comes in connection with a massive scam in which an illegal levy of Rs 25 crore was allegedly being extorted for every tonne of coal transported in Chhattisgarh by a cartel involving senior bureaucrats, businessmen, politicians, and middlemen, according to the agency.