Kolkata, Jul 14 (IANS): The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Wednesday arrested seven officials, including a serving general manager of Eastern Coalfields Limited (ECL), in connection with the coal smuggling scam in West Bengal.

CBI sources said their sleuths started a marathon interrogation of the seven ECL officials since Wednesday morning. However, there were lots of inconsistencies in their statements following which they were finally arrested on late Wednesday evening by the sleuths of the anti-corruption branch of CBI.

Among others who were arrested included ECL's former general manager, A Mallick, and current ECL manager, Mukesh Kumar. The CBI and Enforcement Directorate (ED) are conducting a probe into the coal smuggling case in West Bengal.

The sleuths have already questioned Trinamool Congress's National General Secretary, Abhishek Banerjee and his wife Rujira Narula Banerjee in connection with the case.

Investigative agencies are suspecting financial transactions of Rs 1,300 crore in the scam.