By Rajesh Saha: A day after their arrest by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), former director of Eastern Coalfields (ECL) Sunil Kumar Jha,and CISF Inspector Anand Kumar Singh, were remanded in 4-day custody of the central probe agency on Friday. The arrests were made in an alleged coal smuggling case in West Bengal.
Both of them will be interrogated regarding their alleged involvement by the probe agency. According to reports, Sunil Kumar Jha and Anand Kumar Singh were taken to a special CBI special court in Asansol on Friday.
The CBI had appealed the court to grant them both a custody of four days with the agency.
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However, defense lawyer Shekhar Kundu argued against the demands. “Both of them (Sunil and Anand) were summoned by CBI and appeared before an officer on time, fully co-operating with the investigation. Later, they were arrested by the probe agency,” he said. He appealed the court to grant a custody of only two days.
On the other hand, Rakesh Kumar, the lawyer representing CBI, told the court that Sunil received at least Rs 1 Cr 70 lakhs from a Cole Syndicate. He also alleged that CISF Inspector Anand received Rs 11 lakh through smuggling coal.
Upon hearing both sides, the judge passed an order in CBI’s favor, sending both the arrested accused into the probe agency’s custody for four days. They will be produced before the court on May 16.
(With inputs from Anil Giri in Asansol)
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