Chhattisgarh Corruption Scandal: Assets of IAS Officer Seized

Authorities in Chhattisgarh have taken a firm stand against corruption by attaching properties worth Rs 4 crore belonging to suspended IAS officer Sameer Vishnoi. Vishnoi is facing allegations of acquiring assets far beyond his known sources of income, a dubious accumulation that officials link to the notorious coal levy scam.

The Economic Offences Wing registered a disproportionate assets case against him in July 2024, spotlighting nine immovable properties, allegedly acquired through illicit channels under the names of Vishnoi's family members and related firms. In response, a Special Court in Raipur ordered the attachment of these properties under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

This is not an isolated incident. The Enforcement Directorate had previously attached five immovable properties of Vishnoi, further deepening the probe into the massive Rs 540-crore scam. The coal levy scam unraveled as an illegal levy of Rs 25 per tonne, allegedly imposed by a network of bureaucrats, businessmen, and politicians.