Politics over sinking of ship ‘Black Rose’ following the Union Shipping and Water Resources Ministry’s CBI probe order got hotter on Wednesday with Paradip BJD MlA Damodar Rout stating that no person is above law and political link would not save an accused from being punished.
“One who has committed a mistake will be punished. No person is above law.
Earlier, Chief Ministers of Karnataka and Jharkhand were caught by the CBI and punished. The CBI has also booked former Union Minister P Chidambaram. likewise, any person found guilty in the Black Rose case will be punished,” Rout told a section of media.
He wanted to know why the CBI has not yet caught the culprit for whom the Black Rose had brought iron ore.
He, however, questioned the intention of the Narendra Modi-led NDA Government behind announcing CBI inquiry into the sinking of ‘Black Rose’ four years after it came to power.
On Tuesday, Rout had said that as the local representative, he knows everything about the incident and, if the CBI asks, he would reveal whatever he knows.
It may be noted that BJP vice-president Sameer Mohanty had on Tuesday alleged that the Jajpur MlA’s brother has business links with Black Rose ship enterprise and he was even seen with the Chief Minister during the centenary celebrations of the Jajpur Municipality.
Similarly, Congress leader Ashok Samal has wanted to know why the Crime Branch probing the incident was still silent on the issue. He hoped that the CBI would unearth the truth.
To the BJP’s reaction, BJD spokesperson Pratap Keshari Deb had stated that it is the BJP’s habit to drag BJD into every issue.
Notably, the Mongolian vessel Black Rose sank 5 km off the Paradip Port on September 9, 2009 due to unknown reasons. It is alleged that the vessel was engaged in illegal transportation of iron ore and other minerals with forged documents.