The Supreme Court on Tuesday sharply questioned the Enforcement Directorate (ED) over the prolonged delay in the multi-crore coal smuggling investigation linked to West Bengal, asking why the agency had failed to take concrete action despite pursuing the case for nearly six years. The strong remarks came while the apex court was hearing the ED’s challenge against the bail granted to alleged coal smuggling kingpin Anup Majhi, also known as Lala.
A bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta and Vijay Bishnoi expressed clear dissatisfaction with the pace and seriousness of the investigation. The court observed that despite the gravity of the allegations involving illegal mining, money laundering and large-scale financial irregularities, the ED had not taken decisive steps against the accused.
During the hearing, the ED argued that Anup Majhi had remained absconding for a long period before eventually surrendering before a lower court and securing bail. The agency claimed the case involved massive financial fraud and illegal extraction of national resources, with several individuals allegedly connected to the racket.
However, the Supreme Court questioned why the ED failed to act effectively even after having sufficient time to investigate the matter. The bench pointed out that the agency could have sought custodial interrogation or taken stronger legal measures earlier if it believed the allegations were serious. The judges also asked why the ED was opposing bail at such a late stage after years of limited progress in the probe.
The court further remarked that the investigation appeared “casual and fragmented,” indicating that the central agency may not have treated the matter with the seriousness it deserved. Following the observations, the Supreme Court directed the ED to file a detailed affidavit explaining the status and conduct of the investigation.
The coal smuggling case has remained politically sensitive due to the alleged involvement of several influential figures from West Bengal. According to ED sources, multiple Trinamool Congress leaders have come under the scanner during different phases of the investigation.
In November last year, the ED carried out extensive raids across West Bengal and Jharkhand in connection with the alleged coal smuggling network. Searches were conducted at more than 40 locations, including Asansol, Purulia, Kolkata and Dhanbad. Investigators reportedly seized several crores in cash, gold ornaments and large quantities of illegally mined coal during the operation.
The origins of the case trace back to 2020, when allegations surfaced regarding illegal coal extraction from Eastern Coalfields Limited (ECL) mines in areas such as Asansol and Durgapur. Several former ECL officials and other accused individuals were arrested during the initial stages of the probe.
The investigation later expanded into alleged money laundering operations connected to the illegal mining business. ED officials claimed that a network led by Anup Majhi was running the operation and supplying illegally mined coal to certain business entities in exchange for cash. According to investigators, the proceeds from the illegal trade were then routed through various channels to project them as legitimate earnings.
The ED had also conducted searches at the office of political consultancy firm I-PAC and at the residence of its founder Prateek Jain as part of the wider investigation linked to the coal smuggling allegations.
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