SC rejects former Chhattisgarh CM's deputy secretary's bail plea in money laundering case

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday rejected the bail plea of Saumya Chaurasia, former deputy secretary to former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, in a money laundering case.

A bench of Justices Bela M Trivedi and Satish Chandra Sharma dismissed a special leave petition challenging a June order of the Chhattisgarh High Court which had rejected her bail application.

"The courts should not be oblivious to the fact that nowadays educated and well placed women in society engage themselves in commercial ventures and enterprises and, advertently or inadvertently, get involved in illegal activities," the bench said.

The suspended civil servant has been in jail for over a year now.

The court, while rejecting her plea, noted that incorrect submissions were made in her special leave petition, and also imposed a cost of one lakh.

"It cannot be gainsaid that full disclosures have to be made and a degree of professionalism is expected…..Since incorrect facts were stated, we have dismissed the appeal with costs of one lakh,” the bench said.

The matter arises out of allegations of extortion and illegal levy collection from coal and mining transporters transporting coal from Chhattisgarh mines. The Enforcement Directorate alleged that the investigation has revealed a massive scam. In December, 2022, the central agency arrested Saumya Chaurasia.

In October last year, the ED conducted raids, leading to the arrest of IAS officer Sameer Vishnoi, coal businessman Sunil Agrawal, his uncle Laxmikant Tiwari, and 'kingpin' Suryakant Tiwari.

The ED claimed to have zeroed in on the cartel, involving senior bureaucrats, businessmen, and politicians that entered into an alleged criminal conspiracy pertaining to a massive scam in which an illegal levy of Rs 25 per ton of coal was extorted. It was alleged that Tiwari, who acted as the main kingpin, operated a parallel system to extort the illegal levy.

The ED claimed around Rs 2-3 crore was generated on a daily basis.