IAS officer in jail remand in 'coal levy scam' case

RAIPUR: Chhattisgarh IAS officer Ranu Sahu, who was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) under Prevention of Money laundering Act (PMLA), has been remanded in judicial custody after the ED completed its three-day custodial interrogation in connection with the alleged illegal coal levy scam case.
Sahu, a 2010 batch IAS officer, was produced before the special PMLA court of Ajay Singh Rajput.The central agency did not seek further custody. The court then remanded her in jail, with a direction to produce her on August 4.
She is the second IAS officer after Sameer Vishnoi (of the 2009-batch) to be arrested in connection with the same probe.
State administrative service officer Saumya Chaurasia, and some businessmen, including Suryakant Tiwari, are also in judicial custody after being arrested by the ED under PMLA.
According to ED's remand report, Sahu allegedly received over Rs 5.5 crore out of the "proceeds of the crime from the coal syndicate", which used to collect Rs 25 per tonne of coal transported in the state. It said the IAS officer has "layered the proceeds of crime" in acquisition of properties in the names of family members, relatives and 'benamidars'. tnn