Coal mine scam accused dies of cardiac arrest amid CBI raid in West Bengal’s Asansol

KOLKATA: Dhananjay Rai, one of the accused in the mining scam, died as the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) carried out raids in West Bengal’s Asansol on Saturday.

Rai is one of the accused named in the coal mine scam being investigated by CBI. He was posted as the Area Security Inspector, Kunustoria, ECL.

CBI officials had reached his house to conduct raids when suddenly he complained of chest pain. He was immediately rushed to the hospital where he was declared brought dead. Doctors said that he died of cardiac arrest.

The CBI earlier on Saturday carried out searches at 45 locations across four states in connection with an illegal coal mining case. According to the CBI, the raids were carried out in West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh against officials of East Coal Fields Limited and some other individuals.

Sources told IANS that searches were on since morning at 45 locations in four states including the premises of coal mafias, accused in an ongoing investigation of a case.

The central agency sleuths raided the office and homes of Anup Majhi, alias Lala, in Asansol, Durgapur, and Raniganj in Burdwan district, as well as Bishnupur in Kolkata`s adjoining South 24-Parganas district. They also carried out search operations in some of the houses of Majhi's associates.

Majhi is the alleged kingpin of the illegal coal operation that was being run in the open cast colliery belts along the Bengal-Jharkhand border. 

The CBI sleuths have reportedly found connections between Majhi and Enamul Haq, the earlier arrested alleged kingpin in a cattle smuggling racket operating in West Bengal. 

Enamul Haq, a resident of Murshidabad district, is currently on interim bail after he was tested positive for COVID-19. A Border Security Force (BSF) officer linked to cattle-smuggling activities was also arrested in connection with the case.

However, there is no official confirmation about the same. The CBI has also registered a case against two General Managers of the Eastern Coalfield Limited, one security in-charge, chief security and two other officials. A case has also been registered against one Anup Majhi alias Lala and other unknown persons, ANI quoted officials as saying. 

Cases have been registered against officials of Railway, CISF and others for their alleged involvement in illegal and theft of coal in the above states, officials added.