Coal smuggling case: CBI raids house of BJP leader in Raniganj

Kolkata: CBI conducted raids at the residence of a BJP leader in Raniganj on Wednesday in connection with the coal smuggling case.

The BJP leader, Joydeb Kha, had joined the saffron brigade by taking the party's flag from its state president Dilip Ghosh only a few months ago. Even today, his photograph is found at the bottom of posters and banners of the party's national president JP Nadda. Local people also claimed that everyone in the area is aware of his alleged involvement in the coal smuggling. A team of CBI officers accompanied by CRPF jawans conducted the raid at his house at Baktarnagar area in Raniganj. The search operation continued for a few hours. Though they did not find Joydeb at the house, the sleuths seized many documents. The CBI officers also conducted raids at the house of one Narayan Nanda, who is known to be closely associated with Anup Majhi alias Lala.

Several teams of the central investigating agency conducted simultaneous raids at 10 places in Raniganj, including the main office from where "pads" were supplied to different parts of the state to carry out coal smuggling.

CBI claims that Lala used to open shell companies in the name of these aides to turn the black money of coal smuggling into white. According to the local sources, Joydeb used to work as a close aide of Lala. But differences cropped up between them around a year back and Joydeb took shelter in some hideouts.

Around eight months ago, he took the flag from Dilip Ghosh and joined BJP. Local people alleged that he funded BJP to put up banners and posters whenever there is any programme of the party in the area. BJP leadership claimed that CBI raid does not prove anyone to be guilty. Trinamool Congress leadership stated that this leader had accompanied Dilip Ghosh when the latter went to offer puja at Deoghar a few days ago. "We have been saying that BJP is involved in all sorts of illegal works," alleged a Trinamool Congress leader.

Meanwhile, the prime accused of the coal smuggling case Anup Maji has been declared as proclaimed offender by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Special Court in Asansol. CBI had earlier summoned

Maji thrice for interrogation in connection with the coal smuggling case. But neither he appeared before the investigating officials nor he contacted them for more time. Later an arrest warrant was also issued against Maji but CBI sleuths failed to find him.

Sources informed that if the accused person does not appear before the CBI Special Court on February 11, then the central agency may start the process to confiscate his assets.