NEW DELHI, May 28 (TIWN): The CBI on Saturday started a massive search operation at 45 locations across four states after registering a case against an alleged coal pilferer who acted in collusion with two general managers and three security personnel of the Eastern Coalfields Ltd (ECL), officials said.

The searches are spread across West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) said.  The agency had registered the case on Friday against accused Anup Manjhi and other unidentified people including some employees of the ECL, Railways and CISF personnel, they said.  It is alleged that Manjhi alias Lala is allegedly involved in the illegal mining and theft of coal from leasehold mines of ECL in Kunustoria and Kajora areas, they said.