ED arrests Chhattisgarh CM's Deputy Secretary in PMLA case

New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday arrested Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel's Deputy Secretary Saumya Chaurasia in connection with a money laundering matter pertaining to an illegal mining case.

The ED in September arrested Chhattisgarh-based IAS officer Sameer Vishnoi, Sunil Agarwal of Indramani Group and one Laxmikant Tiwari.

In October, an absconding accused Suryakant Tiwari had surrendered before a court and was arrested.

Another IAS officer Ranu Sahu was reportedly missing but she wrote a letter to ED in October and told the officials that she was on medical leave.

Later, ED had conducted search operations at her mother's residence in the third week of October.

Bishnoi was questioned by the ED officials regarding the commission money he allegedly used to take in connection with coal mining.

ED had also raided some locations in Chhattisgarh for two consecutive days and recovered around Rs 4 crore.

The Income Tax department had earlier written a letter to the Chhattisgarh government in which it was alleged that "a few officials very close to Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel" were involved in getting commission/ bribe from those involved in the business of coal and others.

However, no action was taken by the state government in this respect.

According to the information, IAS officers J.P. Maurya and Ranu Sahu's premises were among the places that were raided by the ED.

The ED team had also searched the premises of three IPS officers.

Earlier, when the raids were conducted, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel had termed it 'political raids'.