Surendra Soren
Ranchi/Dhanbad
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday launched a major crackdown on alleged illegal coal mining and its suspected financial network by conducting simultaneous searches at 25 locations in Dhanbad district.
According to officials, 25 ED teams carried out coordinated raids at premises linked to several alleged coal traders and their associates. The searches are aimed at examining documents, financial transactions, and assets allegedly generated through illegal coal mining, transportation, and storage.
The raids are being conducted at premises associated with Ranjit Singh, Anil Goyal, Ganesh Yadav, Pappu Mandal, Anoop Chauhan, Harendra Chauhan (brother of the Deputy Mayor of Dhanbad), former Assembly candidate Rohit Yadav, and their associates. Security has been tightened at all the locations, with Central Armed Police Forces deployed to assist the search operations.
Sources said the ED has registered four separate Enforcement Case Information Reports (ECIRs) in connection with the alleged illegal coal mining racket. Investigators suspect that substantial assets were amassed through the illicit coal trade and are scrutinising bank transactions, land records, property documents, and other financial records to trace the alleged proceeds of crime.
The latest action follows an earlier ED operation on November 21, 2025, when the agency conducted raids at nearly 20 locations in Dhanbad and Dumka linked to L.B. Singh and his associates. During those searches, the ED had seized ₹22 million (₹2.2 crore) in cash, more than 150 land documents, and several other documents considered significant to the investigation.
The searches were still underway at the time of filing this report, and the ED has not yet issued an official statement on the outcome of the operation.
