2 min readNew DelhiApr 15, 2026 04:41 PM IST
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has provisionally attached assets worth Rs 159.51 crore under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, in a case involving large-scale illegal coal mining and pilferage from Eastern Coalfields Limited (ECL) leasehold areas in West Bengal.
According to ED, probe has exposed a syndicate headed by Anup Majee, alias Lala, which orchestrated the illicit operations. “Beneficiary firms in West Bengal allegedly bought the illegally mined coal for cash, helping launder the proceeds as legitimate income. Attached assets include corporate bonds and alternate investment funds linked to Shyam Sel and Power Limited and Shyam Ferro Alloys Limited, entities under the Shyam Group controlled by Sanjay Agarwal and Brij Bhushan Agarwal,” a ED spokesperson said in a statement.
Investigators found the syndicate excavated coal illegally and pilfered it for supply to factories, with complicity from local officials. “A key tactic was the Lala pad – fake transport challans issued in fictitious names. Transporters received a Rs 10 or Rs 20 note alongside, photographed it next to the vehicle’s number plate, and sent the image to syndicate operators. These photos were shared via WhatsApp with police and officials en route, ensuring safe passage or quick release if stopped,”the spokesperson said.
The ED also uncovered an underground hawala network for cash transfers, using currency note serial numbers as authenticators to avoid banking trails and formal records. “This attachment pushes total seized assets in the case to Rs 488.22 crore.
The offence involves multiple layers of complex financial transactions designed to conceal the origin and ownership of illicit funds,” the spokesperson added.
