Lagatar24 Desk
Ranchi: Corruption within the coal mining entities of Central Coalfields Limited (CCL), Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL), and Eastern Coalfields Limited (ECL) continues to be exposed, with cases of bribery and fraud emerging regularly. From extortion under the guise of coal lifting to the ₹83.63 crore coal scam, the sectors are embroiled in numerous instances of officials and employees caught red-handed accepting bribes by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Bribery Is the Norm
Over the past eight months, CBI has caught 11 officials and employees accepting bribes. Notable instances include:
- March 19, 2024: The CBI apprehended Amrapali Coal Project’s canteen manager Ashok Ram and JE Rambhajju while they were accepting bribes from a contractor.
- April 3, 2024: CBI arrested the dispatch officer of CCL’s Amrapali Project and another official in Chatra for accepting ₹50,000 in bribes for granting permission to lift coal.
- May 20, 2024: Three ECL officers were arrested in Godda for taking ₹25,000 each in exchange for processing compensation payments.
- August 1, 2024: BCCL engineer Praveen Kumar was caught accepting a bribe in Dhanbad for facilitating promotions and transfers.
- September 28, 2024: CBI arrested the manager and clerk of Shyamapur B Colliery in Dhanbad while accepting ₹20,000 in bribes.
- October 7, 2024: A clerk at Bokaro’s Kathara Washery was caught taking a bribe by the CBI.
Illegal Collection During Coal Lifting at Amrapali Coal Project
In Chatra’s Amrapali Coal Project, contractors were charged ₹8 per ton for lifting coal, with no permission granted without payment. Acting on complaints, the CBI raided the project on April 4, 2024, arresting dispatch officer Sudhanshu Kumar Sharma and clerk Jiten Ganju while they were accepting ₹50,000 in bribes.
₹83.63 Crore Coal Scam at Amrapali Project
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has registered a case in the ₹83.63 crore coal scam at CCL’s Amrapali Project. This case was based on an FIR lodged by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) in Ranchi on August 17, 2021. ACB and CBI investigations revealed tampering with the measurement book to facilitate coal theft. During inspections, 875,774 metric tons of coal were found missing from the project stock at Magadh Amrapali area in Chatra.
