Raipur:
The court has ordered IAS officer Ranu Sahu, arrested in connection with the coal scam, to be sent to jail on a 10-day judicial remand. The court has scheduled the next hearing for August 4. Ranu Sahu, who was taken on a three-day remand by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) after being arrested on Saturday, was produced before Special Judge Ajay Singh Rajput this afternoon. The ED did not seek an extension of remand, resulting in the court’s decision to send Ranu Sahu directly to jail.
Sources reveal that the ED team had been questioning IAS officer Ranu Sahu continuously from Saturday evening until this morning. The inquiries revolved around a diary and mobile chat records seized during the raids. ED investigators posed over 20 questions, seeking information on the recipients and distribution of funds related to the coal scam. Additionally, Ranu Sahu, her IAS husband JP Maurya, and their maternal uncles were also questioned regarding their assets and sources of income.
It is pertinent to mention that the ED had conducted a raid at Ranu Sahu’s official residence in Devendra Nagar on Friday. After an exhaustive 24-hour investigation, the ED arrested her on Saturday morning and presented her before the court, requesting a 14-day remand. However, the court granted a three-day remand instead. Notably, a total of four officers, including two IAS officers, and ten others have been arrested in connection with the coal scam. Ranu Sahu is the second IAS officer to face arrest, with Sameer Bishnoi, previously arrested, currently held in Raipur Central Jail. The investigation into the coal scam continues, with authorities probing further into the alleged financial irregularities and those involved.