The Chhattisgarh Congress has accused the state’s EOW/ACB of submitting a forged judicial document to the Supreme Court in the coal scam bail case, alleging manipulation of evidence and a violation of legal procedures.
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RAIPUR: In the ongoing Chhattisgarh coal scam controversy, the Congress party has accused the state’s Economic Offence Wing / Anti-Corruption Bureau (EOW/ACB) of tampering with evidence and misusing the legal process. The party claimed that the agency fabricated evidence and manipulated judicial processes in connection with the alleged coal levy scam.
Addressing a press conference in Raipur, former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress Committee chief Deepak Baij, and Leader of Opposition Charan Das Mahant alleged that the EOW/ACB had submitted a forged statement before the Supreme Court in the bail matter of accused Suryakant Tiwari.
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Alleged Forgery of Judicial Statement
According to the Congress leaders, the agency presented a falsified document purporting to be a statement under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), now replaced by Section 183 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), of co-accused Nikhil Chandrakar.
Section 164 (now 183 BNSS) refers to the recording of statements or confessions before a magistrate, a process meant to ensure authenticity, voluntariness, and confidentiality.
“The font used in Chandrakar’s statement under Section 164 of the CrPC was different from the official font used in the court. Where did this font come from and who introduced it?”
Baghel questioned.
“It is clear the statement was pre-typed and brought to the court on a pen drive by EOW/ACB officers, rather than being recorded before a magistrate as mandated by law,”
he added.
Baghel cited a forensic analysis that allegedly confirmed the use of two different fonts within the same document, claiming this proved it was not created within the court system.
Complaint Filed Against EOW/ACB Officers
Senior Congress leader and advocate Girish Chandra Dewangan has filed a complaint before the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM), Raipur, seeking criminal action against three officers of the EOW/ACB. The complaint accuses them of fabricating judicial documents and presenting them as genuine before the Supreme Court.
Earlier, on September 12, Dewangan also lodged a separate complaint with the Registrar (Vigilance) of the Chhattisgarh High Court, demanding a thorough investigation into the matter.
Political Allegations
Taking a broader political stance, Bhupesh Baghel alleged that national investigative agencies, including the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), and the Income Tax Department, are being used as tools of political vendetta.
“These agencies are functioning at the behest of their political masters. Their primary targets are opposition leaders. Even institutions like the Election Commission have lost credibility, and now, the judiciary’s independence is under question,”
Baghel said.
“This incident must be investigated thoroughly, and a criminal case should be registered against the EOW/ACB officials involved,”
he demanded.
Background
The controversy traces back to January 2024, when the state EOW/ACB registered a case in the alleged coal levy scam following information provided by the Enforcement Directorate, which is investigating a money laundering angle under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
The FIR, filed under the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Indian Penal Code (IPC), named 35 individuals as accused.
Among them are several prominent political figures and bureaucrats, including:
- Former minister Amarjeet Bhagat
- Congress MLA Devendra Yadav
- Former Congress MLAs U.D. Minj, Gulab Kamro, Chandradev Prasad Rai, Shishupal Sori, and Brihaspat Singh
- Suspended IAS officers Sameer Bishnoi and Ranu Sahu
The alleged scam involves illegal collection of a “levy” on coal transportation, reportedly amounting to hundreds of crores of rupees during the Congress government’s tenure.
