Raipur
The Chhattisgarh High Court has dismissed petitions filed against the attachment of properties belonging to former Deputy Secretary Saumya Chaurasia, businessman Suryakant Tiwari and his family members, and former IAS officer Sameer Vishnoi in connection with the high-profile coal levy scam.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had attached properties belonging to Suryakant Tiwari, Saumya Chaurasia, and their relatives under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. The attachments, made on January 30, 2025, include more than 100 movable and immovable assets valued at ₹49.73 crore. These consist of bank balances, vehicles, cash, jewellery, and land.
The attached properties also include those held by Suryakant Tiwari’s family members—Rajnikant Tiwari, Kailasha Tiwari, and Divya Tiwari. Saumya Chaurasia, along with her brother Anurag Chaurasia and mother Shanti Devi, and former IAS officer Sameer Vishnoi had challenged the provisional attachment before the High Court.
A total of 10 petitions were filed, and arguments were presented extensively by counsels representing both the petitioners and the respondents. After reserving its decision, the Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Ramesh Kumar Sinha and Justice Bibhu Datt Guru pronounced its verdict, rejecting all petitions following detailed legal deliberations.
The court upheld the ED’s action, marking a significant development in the ongoing investigation into the alleged illegal coal levy scam in the state.
