Team News Riveting
Raipur, October 11
Central agencies on Tuesday struck at the premises of three Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers in Chhattisgarh besides 11 others associated with corporate liaison and coal trade.
The three IAS officers of Chhattisgarh cadre include a woman bureaucrat, who had been serving in the districts that house major mining and industrial facilities. The other two IAS officers have been associated with the mining and industry department. While the two officers, who are husband and wife, belong to IAS batch 2010, the other is a batch senior to them.
Though there was no official statement from the central agencies, sources said probably the Enforcement Directorate (ED) was involved in the operation that started with the crack of day. The raids were conducted at more than 12 locations in Raigarh, Mahasamund and Raipur district.
Besides the IAS officers, a former Congress lawmaker is also facing action. Sources said the raids were follow-up of Income Tax raids conducted on a businessman, who has been close to power centres and involved in corporate liaison besides coal trading. During raids, the IT officials had seized sensitive documents of money laundering that prompted ED to proceed with further action.
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said the raids were not the last as more would follow in the days ahead. “The BJP cannot fight directly and hence use the central agencies to threaten the opponents,” he added.
Sources said a few Indian Police Service (IPS) officers posted in the industrial districts had also come under the radar of investigating agencies.
