Indian Officials and Politicians Embezzled Funds from Coal Transporters

Investigations have revealed that the online permits for illegal collection from coal transporters were made offline on 15 July 2020 on the orders of the then Director of the Minerals Department, Sameer Vishnoi. Thereafter, additional transport charges of ₹100 per tonne were collected from coal washery operators and ₹25 per tonne on coal coming out of the washery. Separate offices were opened in Korba and Raigad for collection, from where the money was routed to officers and politicians through Nikhil Chandrakar. The politicians and officials purchased huge amounts of property and jewellery with this amount of advertising revenue. The then Deputy Secretary to the Chief Minister, Saumya Chaurasia, received ₹31 crore in 169 instalments and purchased 22 properties in the name of her mother. Suspended IAS Ranu Sahu received ₹5.52 crore in 13 instalments and purchased 13 properties in the name of her brother and relatives. MLA Devendra Yadav received ₹3 crore in 11 instalments, which was spent in Khairagarh and Uttar Pradesh by the remaining ₹46 lakh spent on advertisements.