The Enforcement Directorate (ED) announced on Wednesday that it has issued eviction orders and taken possession of assets worth over Rs 152 crore as part of a money laundering investigation into an alleged illegal coal levy case.

These 91 properties, including movable and immovable assets, belong to former Chhattisgarh government bureaucrat Saumya Chaurasia, IAS officer Sameer Vishnoi, coal trader Suryakant Tiwari (the prime accused in the case), and others. These assets were attached by the federal probe agency in December last year under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

The ED's investigation is related to allegations of a major scam involving the illegal collection of Rs 25 per tonne of coal transported in Chhattisgarh by a cartel consisting of senior bureaucrats, businessmen, politicians, and middlemen. The agency had previously stated this.

After allowing all defendants an opportunity to be heard and considering arguments from both sides, the Adjudicating Authority of the PMLA confirmed the attachment order on June 1, as per a statement by the ED.

Accordingly, the ED has taken possession of 81 immovable properties and issued eviction notices for ten immovable properties in accordance with the PMLA (taking possession of attached or frozen properties confirmed by the Adjudicating Authority) Rules, 2013.

These assets, which include flats, jewellery, coal washeries, and plots, are beneficially owned by Chaurasia, Vishnoi, Suryakant Tiwari, and another coal trader Sunil Agarwal, as stated by the ED.

Nine individuals, including Chaurasia, Suryakant Tiwari, his uncle Laxmikant Tiwari, and Chhattisgarh-cadre Indian Administrative Service officer Sameer Vishnoi, have been arrested by the ED.