The Enforcement Directorate’s high-stakes operations in West Bengal and Delhi have ripped open a Pandora’s box of coal theft and hawala money laundering. Spanning multiple districts, the raids signal a no-holds-barred assault on organized economic crime.
Unveiling layers of deceit, probes reveal systematic looting of coal reserves meant for power plants and industries. Smugglers exploited lax border checks to ship contraband to neighboring states and beyond, routing black money via hawala corridors to Dubai and beyond.
Search teams scoured business establishments, residences, and logistics firms from early morning. Key seizures included fake invoices, satellite phone records, and foreign currency equivalents totaling millions.
The plot thickens with direct accusations against Mamata Banerjee for impeding justice. Documents reportedly show state police shielding suspects and diluting inter-agency cooperation. This alleged meddling has drawn sharp rebuke from central authorities.
Experts note this fits a pattern of resource plunder in mineral-rich regions, eroding national revenues and fueling inflation. ED’s forensic teams are now decoding transaction webs that span years.
As dust settles on the raids, Bengal’s political landscape braces for aftershocks. Allies urge Banerjee to come clean, while she brands the ED a ‘BJP hit squad.’ Unraveling this web could redefine accountability in India’s federal structure.