2 min readNew DelhiUpdated: Apr 15, 2026 06:38 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 the ED, a probe exposed a syndicate headed by Anup Majee, alias Lala, which allegedly 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,” an ED spokesperson said in a statement.
Investigators found the syndicate illegally excavated coal and pilfered it for supply to factories, in collusion with 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, which they photographed next to the vehicle’s number plate, and sent the image to syndicate operators. These photos were shared with police and officials via WhatsApp, ensuring safe passage or quick release if stopped en route,” the ED said.
The ED also uncovered an underground hawala network for cash transfers, which used 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 ED added.
