May 14th 2024.
Kolkata: On Tuesday, Anup Majhi, also known as Lala, surrendered in a special court of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in Asansol, West Bengal, where he is one of the main accused in a coal smuggling case. Lala had managed to evade arrest by the CBI due to a "protection against arrest" granted by the Supreme Court. However, the special court in Asansol, where the case is being heard, had ordered the CBI to file the charge sheet in the case.
According to sources, the CBI was scheduled to file the charge sheet on May 21. Lala, aware of this, chose to surrender himself in the special court just a day after the fourth phase of the Lok Sabha polls for the Asansol constituency. The CBI has expressed concern over their ability to file the final charge sheet without interrogating Lala. The judge of the special court also pointed out that while the apex court has granted "protection against arrest," there is no restriction on the CBI officials to question him.
In addition to the CBI, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is also conducting a separate investigation into the money laundering aspect of the coal smuggling case. However, their officials are not allowed to take Lala into custody for questioning. It remains to be seen whether the ED will make the move to take him into custody or not.
The case of coal smuggling has been under investigation since 2020, and so far, six people have been arrested. Among them are officials from Eastern Coalfield's Limited, a subsidiary of Coal India Limited, and the Central Industrial Security Force. Some of them have been granted bail while others are still in custody.
It is a complex case involving multiple agencies and individuals. With Lala's surrender, the investigation is expected to move forward and reveal more details about the alleged coal smuggling operation. The court proceedings will be closely monitored to see how the case unfolds and if any new developments arise.
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