The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has stepped up its investigation into the multi-crore coal smuggling scam in West Bengal, shifting its focus toward the involvement of local law enforcement. Following the scrutiny of former Officer-in-Charge (OC) Manaranjan Mondal, the federal agency has now placed police officers from 10 different stations, including Kulti, Raniganj, and Durgapur, under its scanner. A formal letter has been sent to these officials seeking specific details regarding the movement of illegal coal and related financial transactions.

According to ED sources, investigators have uncovered a “protection money” syndicate where local police officers allegedly facilitated the smooth transport of illegally mined coal from Eastern Coalfields Limited (ECL) areas. The agency is looking for clarity on the flow of funds and whether the administrative machinery was deliberately compromised to benefit coal kingpins. The 10 identified police stations fall mostly under the Asansol-Durgapur Police Commissionerate, a region central to the illegal coal trade.

The recent raids at the residence of Manaranjan Mondal provided the ED with significant leads, including digital evidence and documents that reportedly name several other high-ranking and field-level officers. The agency’s letter specifically asks for deployment details, seizure records, and communications from the period when the smuggling was at its peak. This move is aimed at identifying the “beneficiaries” within the police department who allegedly received kickbacks in exchange for turning a blind eye to the illegal activities.

This aggressive stance by the ED just weeks before the Lok Sabha elections has triggered a fresh political slugfest. While the ruling TMC has accused the central government of using agencies to intimidate the state police and influence the polls, the opposition BJP maintains that the police-politician-mafia nexus must be exposed. As the ED prepares to summon these officers for face-to-face interrogation at its CGO Complex office, the investigation is expected to reveal deeper layers of the coal smuggling syndicate.