Anil Tuteja S/o Late HL Vs State of Chhattisgarh (Chhattisgarh High Court)
In the case of , the Chhattisgarh High Court considered the first anticipatory bail application filed under Section 483 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 by the applicant in connection with Crime No. 03/2024 registered at ACB (EOW), Raipur, for offences under Sections 420 and 120-B of the IPC and Sections 7, 7-A and 12 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. The prosecution case arose from a complaint lodged by the Enforcement Directorate alleging a large-scale illegal coal levy scam involving collection of Rs. 25 per tonne from coal transporters through a manually operated permit system introduced in July 2020. According to the prosecution, the applicant played an influential role in facilitating and protecting the alleged illegal levy mechanism by exerting pressure on officials, influencing administrative functioning, and ensuring smooth operation of the system.
The prosecution alleged that the applicant, while serving as Deputy Secretary in the Industry Department, actively coordinated with senior officials and co-accused persons. It was claimed that an anonymous complaint regarding defects in the online coal transportation system led to issuance of an order dated 15.07.2020 mandating manual verification and NOC requirements for coal transportation. The prosecution further alleged that GST raids were conducted on coal traders and transporters under pressure from the applicant, compelling them to pay the alleged illegal levy. Statements of co-accused Sameer Vishnoi and WhatsApp chats were relied upon by the prosecution to assert that the applicant influenced appointments, issuance of mining-related orders, and operational decisions connected with the alleged scam.
