CBI lodges FIR against Bengal firm, rly officials for coal theft The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has initiated a formal probe against a West Bengal-based company and unidentified officials of the South Eastern Central Railway (SECR) over allegations of criminal conspiracy and misappropriation of high-grade coal. The case, registered in Nagpur, centers on the illegal extraction and sale of over 29 lakh rupees worth of coal from Dumri Khurd Railway Siding, a site leased by Western Coalfields Limited (WCL) to SECR. According to the FIR, the accused firm, operated by Amit Maity, was authorized only to handle rejected and waste coal at the Dumri Khurd (DKSK) siding. However, the investigation revealed that the company colluded with railway officials to siphon off good-quality G-12 grade coal, which is of higher value. A surprise inspection conducted by the vigilance department on May 21 uncovered 1,427 metric tons of coal stockpiled at the site. Laboratory analysis by the Central Institute of Mining & Fuel Research (CIMFR) confirmed the presence of G-12 grade coal in the samples. The probe further disclosed that the firm issued 18 gate passes between March 21 and March 24, using these documents to transport and sell 720 metric tons of G-12 grade coal. The coal was allegedly removed under the pretense of handling rejected material, despite the company’s restricted permissions. The CBI alleges that the railway officials facilitated this illegal activity by granting unauthorized access to the coal reserves. The case highlights systemic lapses in oversight at the railway and coal management sectors.#cbi #western_coalfields_limited #amit_maity #south_eastern_central_railway #central_institute_of_mining_and_fuel_research
