Vinod Khobragade, the village official ( talathi ) of Baranj village in Chandrapur district of Maharashtra who imposed a fine of Rs. 32 crore on the Karnataka Emta Coal Mines Limited (KECML) for alleged illegal mining, was suspended on Monday.

He had also accused the top district officials, including the District Collector, of involvement in the scam. “I have been suspended from service without even a show cause notice. They have suspended me for providing information to the media about the illegal mining scam in Chandrapur,” Mr. Khobragade told The Hindu over phone.