The Supreme Court has dismissed the bail plea of Soumya Chaurasia, a high-ranking officer who had considerable influence in the Congress government in Chhattisgarh. The apex court, while dismissing the plea, made strong remarks and imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh on the petitioner. Details of the Supreme Court’s order are yet to be disclosed.
Soumya Chaurasia held a prominent position as a top-ranking officer, serving as the Deputy Secretary in the Chief Minister’s office, Chhattisgarh. She was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on 2 December, 2022, and has been in continuous custody at the central jail in Raipur since then.
According to the ED, Soumya Chaurasia was involved in extortion in coal transportation in Chhattisgarh. The rules for levy collection had been manipulated.
The ED alleged that the mastermind of this syndicate was Suryakant Tiwari, who reportedly wielded immense influence and control, especially over Soumya Chaurasia.
The ED has arrested several individuals, including Suryakant Tiwari, Sunil Agrawal (Coal Washery Operator), IAS officer Sameer Bishnoi, IAS officer Rano Sahu, and Soumya Chaurasia, on various dates.
The ED claims that the scam amounted to nearly Rs 500 crore, involving the acquisition of both movable and immovable assets, some of which are held under anonymous names.
Justices Bela M Trivedi and Anirudh Bose, while announcing the decision on the bail plea, made sharp comments and imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh on the petitioner. Prior to this, the High Court had also made strong observations while rejecting the bail plea.
The ED has filed a petition in the High Court seeking an immediate CBI investigation against the then Congress government for providing special facilities to some accused in the jail, including Soumya Chaurasia, and allegedly harassing ED officials. The petition is currently pending in the High Court.