The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Monday arrested four persons for their alleged involvement in the multi-crore rupees coal pilferage scam in Bengal, sources in the probe agency said.
The four arrested were close aides of Anup Majhi, alias Lala, who is believed to be the key person behind the alleged pilferage of dry fuel from Eastern Coalfields Limited (ECL) mines in Asansol in Paschim Bardhaman district, they said.
The anti-corruption branch of the CBI summoned the four to appear before its officials at the agency's office in Calcutta. They were nabbed following a brief interrogation.
Earlier, the CBI arrested Vikash Mishra, brother of Trinamul Congress youth leader Binay Mishra, in connection with the case.
The CBI had registered an FIR in November last year against Lala, the alleged kingpin of the pilferage racket, ECL general managers Amit Kumar Dhar and Jayesh Chandra Rai, ECL security chief Tanmay Das, Kunustoria area security inspector Dhananjay Rai and Kajor area security in-charge Debashish Mukherjee.
The agency had raided Lala's official premises, residences and other properties in Asansol, Ranigunj and Calcutta. A look-out circular had been issued against him.
The CBI is of the view that the scam, arising out of illegal mining from abandoned mines of ECL, runs into thousands of crores of rupees and part of the crime proceeds had been transacted through the hawala route for which the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has also joined the probe.
