The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday conducted searches at premises linked to Congress leaders in Chhattisgarh in a money laundering case.
Officials said the searches are part of an ongoing investigation into the coal levy money laundering case.
The raids come ahead of the three-day plenary session of the Congress on February 24-26 in the Chhattisgarh's capital Raipur. The state is ruled by Congress under Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel.
Over a dozen locations are being searched, including the premises linked to Congress leaders and some MLAs, official sources told PTI.
Sources further told PTI that the ED is investigating those who have been the beneficiaries of the proceeds of crime of the alleged coal levy scam perpetrated during the tenure of the current government.
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The ED investigation relates to "a massive scam in which illegal levy of Rs 25 was being extorted for every tonne of coal transported in Chhattisgarh by a cartel involving senior bureaucrats, businessmen, politicians and middlemen", the agency has alleged.
Nine persons, including state administrative service officer Chaurasia, Suryakant Tiwari, his uncle Laxmikant Tiwari, Chhattisgarh cadre IAS officer Sameer Vishnoi and another coal businessman Sunil Agrawal have been arrested by it till now in the case.
Chhattisgarh is the only third state in the country to be ruled by the Congress party, with the other being Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh. Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh are going to polls later this year, which are set to be key in setting tone for the general elections next year in which Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to seek reelection for the second time.
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The Opposition has often accused Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Union government of using federal agencies such as ED as its sword arm.
Outlook last year noted, "While Narendra Modi's government maintains these are genuine investigations, the Opposition has long claimed that these cases are the government's witch hunts of Opposition leaders for political benefit. Recently, the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction of Shiv Sena alleged that ED cases against some Sena leaders made them join the rebel camp of Eknath Shinde."
(With PTI inputs)
