March 3, 2025: The Supreme Court on Monday granted interim bail to suspended IAS officer Ranu Sahu, businessman Suryakant Tiwari, and Saumya Chaurasia, the deputy secretary of former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, in connection with the alleged Chhattisgarh coal levy scam. A bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh ruled in favor of the bail, considering the prolonged nature of the investigation and the necessity of ensuring a fair legal process.

Justice Surya Kant, while delivering the order, stated that given the time-consuming nature of the investigation, it was appropriate to grant interim bail to the accused. However, the court emphasized that any attempt to influence witnesses, tamper with evidence, or obstruct the investigation would result in the cancellation of the bail, allowing the state to approach the court for necessary action.

The case revolves around an alleged extortion racket where private individuals, in collusion with politicians and bureaucrats, imposed an illegal levy of ₹25 per tonne on coal transported in Chhattisgarh between July 2020 and June 2022. The Enforcement Directorate, which is probing the matter, claims that approximately ₹540 crore was collected through illegal means. The illicit funds were allegedly used for bribing government officials, financing elections, and acquiring assets.

Ranu Sahu, a 2010-batch IAS officer of the Chhattisgarh cadre, was arrested in 2023 while serving as the director of the state agriculture department. She was the second IAS officer to be arrested in the case after Sameer Vishnoi in 2022. Saumya Chaurasia, another key accused in the case, was taken into custody in 2022. The Enforcement Directorate has so far arrested 11 individuals in connection with the scam, filed three prosecution complaints against 26 accused persons, and attached properties worth ₹270 crore.

As the legal battle continues, the investigation remains ongoing, with authorities closely monitoring any developments related to the case.