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Time of India

IAS officer among 9 named in DMF scam EOW chargesheet in Chhattisgarh

Raipur: The Chhattisgarh Economic Offences Wing (EOW) has filed a 6,000-page chargesheet against nine accused — including senior bureaucrats and businessmen — in the special anti-corruption court in Raipur in the District Mineral Foundation (DMF) scam. EOW chief Amresh Mishra named the accused in the chargesheet filed on May 27 — Saumya Chaurasia, former OSD to then CM Bhupesh Baghel , former Korba collector and suspended IAS officer Ranu Sahu, former assistant commissioner-tribal development Maya Warrior, former deputy collector & DMF nodal officer Bharosa Ram Thakur, and former janpad panchayat CEOs Bhuneswar Singh Raj, Virendra Rathore and Radheshyam Mirjha, businessman Suryakant Tiwari and vendor Manoj Dwivedi. All nine are charged under IPC sections 120B (criminal conspiracy), 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property), 467 (forgery of valuable documents), 468 (forgery for the purpose of cheating), and 471 (using a forged document as genuine), along with provisions of Prevention of Corruption Act. All of them are in judicial custody. According to the EOW chargesheet, during the 2021–22 and 2022–23 fiscals, funds allocated under DMF Trust in Korba were misappropriated through a criminal conspiracy. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Switch to UnionBank Rewards Card UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo The accused allegedly ensured that tenders were awarded to preferred vendors/proprietors, who were directly or indirectly associated with them. As part of a well-orchestrated scheme, these vendors were allegedly granted lucrative contracts, and in return, around 40% commission — approximately Rs 75 crore — was siphoned off, inflicting a significant financial loss to the government. The court filing includes extensive documentation and evidence. According to the investigation, some private companies paid 15%-20% commission to secure DMF contracts. The scam was allegedly orchestrated through rigged tenders, dummy firms, and illegal financial arrangements. Officials said fake companies were set up to secure tenders and bribes were falsely recorded as accommodation expenses. Large amounts of cash and forged documents were recovered during raids, along with digital devices and stamps of dummy firms. ED seized Rs 76.5 lakh in cash and froze eight bank accounts containing Rs 35 lakh, were also confiscated, says the chargesheet. The investigation continues and more names could surface, officers said. DMF was set up to benefit mining-affected communities, but has now become the centre of a high-profile corruption scandal, raising serious questions about oversight and accountability within the system. EOW's investigation, backed by an Enforcement Directorate (ED) report, has revealed serious financial irregularities in fund allocation and tendering processes in Korba district. On March 3, Supreme Court granted interim bail to 12 accused in a coal scam case, including Sahu, Chaurasia, and Tiwari. However, before they could walk free, EOW obtained a production warrant and arrested them in the DMF case, ensuring their continued detention. ED has already attached assets worth nearly Rs 23.8 crore belonging to 10 people, including Ranu Sahu, Maya Warrior, and Manoj Dwivedi.