Laxmikant Tiwari Vs Anti-Corruption Bureau/economic Offence Wing (Chhattisgarh High Court)
Chattisgarh High Court held that considering FIR and other material the accused involvement in illegal coal levy collection syndicate is prima facie proved and hence bail application u/s. 483 of the Bhartiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 is rejected.
Facts- On 11.01.2024, one Mr. Sandeep Ahuja, Deputy Director, Directorate of Enforcement, Raipur through Mr. Farhan Qureshi, Deputy Superintendent of Police lodged a complaint before the Director General of Police Anti Corruption Bureau & Economic Offences Wing, Chhattisgarh pertaining to predicate offence discovered during money laundering in investigation File No. ECIR/RPZO/09/2022 was done under Section 66(2) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002. Thereafter, an offence has been registered on 17.01.2024 at Police Station ACB/EOW Raipur (C.G.) against 35 accused persons.
Notably, it is alleged that they started a network of extortion to collect Rs. 25 per on every ton of coal transported in the State of Chhattisgarh. By this system of extortion, a huge amount of cash started accumulating with the syndicate and with this money, the applicant has purchased benami assets and a huge amount of money was transferred to the applicant, spent on political funding and transferred as per the instructions of higher powers.
