Dhanbad: A coal DO (delivery order) holder, Kanhai Chouhan , has accused Dhanbad BJP MP Dhulu Mahto and his brother, Baghmara MLA Shatrughan Mahto, of extorting Rs 1,600 per tonne for coal loading in the Muraidih Coal Dump area, Barora Colliery. In a complaint to the Dhanbad Deputy Commissioner, Chouhan claimed his trucks have been stuck at the site since March 22 due to these extortion demands.
Chouhan also named Barora Colliery officials—General Manager Piyush Kishore, Project Officer Kajal Sarkar, and Sales Officer Parmendra Kumar—as being involved in the extortion scheme. He said he had received life-threatening warnings and forwarded his complaint to Chief Minister Hemant Soren and other senior officials.
Notably, Mahto has faced such allegations also in past; a similar complaint was filed by Chouhan in 2022 when Dhulu Mahto was the Baghmara MLA, though Mahto did not appear in court. Barora Colliery management denied any involvement in coal loading operations, asserting that DO holders manage this independently. Attempts to reach the Mahtos for comment were unsuccessful.
