The Joda police have seized two iron ore fines-laden trucks having West Bengal registered numbers and court-forwarded five accused, including Sushanta Kumar Jena, a local of Barbil, who poses himself as working as a watchman in a crusher unit.
With this, it was revealed how mafias are changing their modus operandi for minerals theft by fraudulent use of Government permission. After repeated reports published in The Pioneer about minerals theft in the Joda-Barbil mining area, the Joda police were keeping a constant watch on the activities of some traders, mafias and crusher owners, particularly the Indu Ingot and Roller Pvt Ltd whose trading licence is said to have been suspended for alleged violation of the MMDR Act. Accordingly, Joda PS IIC Raisen Murmu succeeded in seizing the trucks from the crusher of the Indu Ingot and Roller.
When police asked the drivers if they had any documents supporting loading of materials, they showed permit passes for iron ore fines in favour of the Jai Mata Ambe Enterprise, a Rourkela-based trading firm, But after seeing the forged documents, doubt arose in the mind of Murmu; and next day, although a holiday due to the Republic Day, he saw the related files by calling mining staffs. It was revealed that no permission had been given to the Jai Mata Ambe Enterprise to lift iron ore fines but the firm has obtained a permit to purchase 1,500 MT of the material from the Indu Ingot and Roller. When contacted, Joda Joint Director of Mines Salil Kumar Behera said he has ordered for an inquiry and whoever would be found guilty, action would be taken against them, be they officials or traders, licences would be cancelled and criminals case would be instituted.