Delhi HC grants custody parole to accused in WB coal mining money laundering case

New Delhi, Aug 25: The Delhi High Court on Thursday released an accused, arrested by Enforcement Directorate in connection with a money laundering investigation linked to an alleged coal mining scam in West Bengal, on custody parole till September 3.

Justice Jasmeet Singh granted relief to Gurupada Maji to enable him to attend the last rites and rituals of his mother who passed away recently. “It is directed that the applicant shall be released on custody parole from August 25, 2022, till September 3, 2022,” the court said.

Maji, who was arrested by the investigating agency in May, sought interim bail from the court but said that he would be satisfied if he is granted custody parole to visit his native place. Enforcement Directorate has claimed that Maji is a partner of a prime accused or "kingpin" in the case -- Anup Majee and he "received more than Rs 66 crore from the proceeds of crime generated through illegal coal mining business from Anup Majee alias Lala and his associates".

This ED case of money laundering stems from a November 2020 FIR registered by the CBI that alleged a multi-crore-rupee coal pilferage scam related to Eastern Coalfields Limited mines in West Bengal's Kunustoria and Kajora areas in and around Asansol. A charge sheet was filed by the ED in the case in May last year.

The agency has said that the total proceeds of crime in the case stand at Rs 1,352 crore and it has attached assets of Rs 180 crore till now. Abhishek Banerjee, TMC MP and nephew of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has been questioned in this case by the ED even as his wife Rujira was summoned.