Lala extracted coal worth 1340 crores by illegal mining, along with police, ECL officials also used to give
Anoop Majhi alias Lala extracted coal worth crores of rupees by illegal mining from the lease area located in West Bengal and Jharkhand.
Anoop Majhi alias Lala extracted coal worth Rs 1340.27 crore by illegal mining from the lease area of Eastern Coal Field Limited (ECL) located in West Bengal and Jharkhand. This coal was sold to other people including steel factories. Coal was transported with the help of a document known as 'Lala Challan'. Fines ranging from 85 thousand to one lakh rupees were collected from trucks carrying coal without 'Lala Challan'. ED has exposed these facts during the investigation of ECL coal scam.
Lala had prepared the entire syndicate:
The ED found in the investigation that Lala had prepared an entire syndicate for illegal coal mining and its trading. Apart from people close to Lala, other people including police and ECL officials were involved in this gang. Lala had hired a Chartered Accountant (CA) to keep an account of the income and expenses from the coal business. During the investigation, ED, with the help of CMPDI and engineers, got the coal extracted by illegal mining done by the Lala gang evaluated.
This team confirmed illegal mining of 30.97 lakh metric tonnes of coal by the Lala gang. The value of coal extracted from illegal mining has been estimated at Rs 1324.27 crore. During investigation, ED found that Lala gang extracted coal by illegal mining in Mugma, Rajmahal, SP Mines, Kojora, Kunusteria, Satgram, Sripur, Pandaveshwar, Salanpur, Sodepur and some other areas of lease area of ECL.
Transportation of coal from Lala Challan:
Lala had made fake transport companies at the address of Mugma, Dhanbad for the transportation of coal produced in illegal mining. With the help of these coal was transported to different places. His challan was given by the Lala gang for the transportation of coal. In the coal sector, it was known as 'Lala Challan'. Lala had kept 15 patrolling parties to keep an eye on coal transportation. In this, apart from the special people of Lala, local youth were included.
Vehicles were given to patrolling parties. The patrolling parties used to charge a penalty ranging from Rs 85 thousand to one lakh from coal-laden trucks, which did not have 'Lala Challan'. With the help of Lala Challan, a unique arrangement was made so that the coal-carrying vehicles should not face any problem. The photographs taken by placing a 10 or 20 rupee note on the number plate of the trucks were sent to the police, Lala's patrol party and officers with the help of WhatsApp. Due to this, coal-carrying vehicles for the Lala gang were not stopped anywhere.
There were also promoters in the gang to sell coal:
The coal extracted by illegal mining by the Lala gang was sold to steel factories and others. His close friends used to work as promoters for the sale of coal to Lala. These people used to harass trucks carrying ECL coal legally.
Apart from this, after meeting the managers of different factories, Lala used to promise that there would be no problem in buying coal. During the investigation so far, the ED has identified eight companies that have bought coal from the Lala gang. Coal has been sold to these companies at an average rate of Rs 2000 per metric ton. The people of Lala gang took their payment in the form of cash.
Illegal mining of 30.97 lakh metric tons of coal by Lala gang
Jagannath road link in transport companies built on fake address of Dhanbad
M/s Flying Jet
M/s Raj Lakshmi
M/s Birbal
M/s Prahlad
M/s China Van
M/s Shamsher
M/s Kalyan
companies buying illegal coal
M/s Amiya Steel Private Limited
M/s Gagan Ferrotech Private Limited
M/s Kongcast Steel & Power Limited
M/s Kunj Bihari Steel Private Limited
M/s Savitri Ispat Private Limited
M/s Shakambhari Ispat Private Limited
M/s Eloquint Steel & Iron Pvt Ltd
M/s SSP Steel & Rolling Mill Ltd.