VIJAY DEO JHA
Ranchi, July 14: The sensational theft of around 2000 tonnes of high-grade coal from Brahmadiha coal mines in Giridih district is now under the scanner of the central investigative agencies.
Since the theft was made out of the consignment of 16000 tonnes of coal that the Central Bureau of Investigation had seized during the investigation of the coal block allotment scam, the center has taken a serious note of the matter. The CBI seized the consignment in 2015. The said coal mine was allocated to M/s. Castron Technologies Ltd in 2004.
Notably, the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate are investigating the coal block allotment scam. The theft was committed from the custody of the CBI.
The incident came to light in 2020 when the media exposed the sensational coal theft case. Later on, an FIR was lodged on July 4, 2020 on the written complaint of security supervisor Md Sabul. The complainant said that he along with Md Shadab and Md Shahid belonged to a private security agency Seraphim Security and were posted at this open-cast coal mine.
According to the FIR in February four people posing as the CBI official came to the mining site. They gave a letter referring to the name of a company named Jai Maa Gayatri Enterprises. They said to the guards that an order had been issued to release coal in the favour of the said company. Against the lifting, these supervisors would be given Rs 10000 per truck besides their salary pending for the last six years. As per the FIR, imposters took away coal from 11 trucks. The complainant said that he realized the fraud after police came to inquire about the matter.
Later on, the case was handed over to the CID of Jharkhand Police which has not made much headway. However, during the initial investigation, the name of one Sonu Vishwakarma cropped up.
