Supreme Court Dismisses Bail Plea Of Saumya Chaurasia, Former Chhattisgarh CM's Dy Secretary, In Money Laundering Case

The Supreme Court on Thursday (December 14) dismissed the bail plea of Saumya Chaurasia, former Deputy Secretary to former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, in a money laundering case. Chaurasia, an officer of the Chhattisgarh Civil Service (now under suspension), is an accused in a money laundering case relating to coal scam.

A bench of Justices Aniruddha Bose and Bela M Trivedi was hearing Chaurasia's special leave petition challenging a June 23 order of the Chhattisgarh High Court rejecting her bail application. The suspended civil servant has been in jail for over a year now.

Today, in another setback, the top court refused to grant Chaurasia bail. Not only this, noting that incorrect submissions were made in her special leave petition, the bench also imposed an extraordinary cost of one lakh. "It cannot be gainsaid that full disclosures have to be made and a degree of professionalism is expected, particularly from the designated and senior counsel. On merits also we have not found anything. Since incorrect facts were stated, we have dismissed the appeal with costs of one lakh," the court noted in its order.

Background

The controversy arises out of allegations of extortion and illegal levy collection from coal and mining transporters transporting coal from Chhattisgarh mines. According to the Enforcement Directorate, the investigation has revealed a massive scam involving the illegal levy of ₹25 per tonne of coal, with the funds allegedly reaching ₹500 crores within 16 months. This money was purportedly being used for election funding and bribes, the central agency claims. In October last year, it conducted raids, leading to the arrest of IAS officer Sameer Vishnoi, coal businessman Sunil Agrawal, his uncle Laxmikant Tiwari, and 'kingpin' Suryakant Tiwari. In December, the central agency arrested Saumya Chaurasia.

The Enforcement Directorate asserts that funds collected through illegal extortion were utilised for election-related expenditures by legislators and the acquisition of 'Benami assets' by Chaurasia, coal mafia kingpin Suryakant Tiwari, and other high-ranking government officials. Tiwari, it is alleged, acted as a conduit for Chaurasia, acting as a 'layer' between her and district-level officers to facilitate the extortion scheme. The ED's remand application stated that Chaurasia, owing to her position in the chief minister's office, wielded significant power and influence, allowing Tiwari to exert pressure on various officers. The central agency further claims that Chaurasia, using unlawfully obtained cash from coal levy extortion, purchased properties in the names of her family members.

Chaurasia, however, maintains her innocence, questioning the allegations as fabricated and baseless, and emphasising the lack of concrete evidence proving her involvement in the alleged scam. Baghel, former chief minister and Congress leader, has also condemned Chaurasia's arrest as a 'political act'. 

In June this year, a single-judge bench of the Chhattisgarh High Court at Bilaspur rejected Chaurasia's bail plea. 

Case Details

Saumya Chaurasia v. Directorate of Enforcement | Special Leave Petition (Criminal) No. 8847 of 2023

Click here to read the judgment