Raipur . In Chhattisgarh's infamous illegal coal levy collection case, the Economic Offences Investigation Bureau (EOW) has filed a nearly 1,000-page charge sheet against accused Jaichand Koshle in the Special Court (Prevention of Corruption Act), Raipur. Jaichand Koshle is currently lodged in the Central Jail, Raipur.

The EOW investigation has revealed that Jaichand Koshle was a key link in the entire illegal coal levy network. He not only physically received the illegally collected money but also was responsible for delivering it to Soumya Chaurasia, an official in the then Chief Minister's Secretariat. According to the investigating agency, he played an active role in the receiving, custody, and transfer of the proceeds of crime.

The EOW has registered a case against Jaichand Koshle under sections 120B, 420, 384, 467, 468, 471 of the Indian Penal Code and sections 7, 7A and 12 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (amended 2018).

According to the investigation, Jaichand Koshle, alias "Jai," worked under Soumya Chaurasia and held the position of personal assistant in the Chief Minister's Secretariat. Entries recorded under the name "Jai" in the seized diary were found to belong to this accused, confirming illegal transactions.

The EOW claims that the accused, on the instructions of Soumya Chaurasia, collected cash from Suryakant Tiwari's residence and other locations and delivered it to individuals specified by Manish Upadhyay or Soumya Chaurasia. He obtained approximately ₹70 million to ₹80 million from illegal coal levy collections for Soumya Chaurasia.The investigation of digital evidence also confirmed the accused's role. WhatsApp chats and real-time entry groups seized from the mobile phones of Suryakant Tiwari and other accused contained numerous entries attributed to the name "Jai." Furthermore, chats between Anil Tuteja and Soumya Chaurasia also revealed evidence of Jaichand Koshle's delivery of confidential files and documents.

According to the EOW, Jaichand Koshle used a portion of the ill-gotten wealth for his own personal gain. He used this money to purchase properties in his own name and in the names of his family members. The investigation into these properties is ongoing.
It is noteworthy that indictments and supplementary indictments have already been filed against 18 accused in this case. To date, charge sheets have been filed against a total of 20 accused. The investigation into other potential suspects in the case is ongoing.