A day after his arrest, industrialist Deepak Gupta, the prime accuse in the Rs 1,800-crore illegal mining in Uliburu in Keonhar district was produced before the Special Vigilance Court here on Thursday by Cuttack Vigilance DSP Sanjay Kumar Dasmahapatra.
While Gupta’s advocate applied for his bail, the Vigilance filed an application to take Gupta on a 15-day remand for more interrogations.
The Vigilance also requested the court to allow bringing the Deepak Steel and Snehapuspa Company, both owned by Gupta, under the purview of its investigation. The Vigilance pointed out that there is evidence of a link between the Uliburu mining scam and these companies.
Special Vigilance Court Judge Balakrushna Mohapatra passed orders in favour of the Vigilance to have Gupta on remand till September 11 and include the two companies in the case.
Although the Vigilance has booked 18 accused, only the lessee, BK Mohanty who was arrested earlier by the Vigilance from his residence was released on bail recently. Members of the Gupta family, father Haricharan, mother Kanta Devi and wife Nitu, have already obtained a court order that they would not be arrested till September 11.
Till now, 11 accused persons are absconding. Another accused, Deputy Director of Mines Manas Mohanty, is said to have got an anticipatory bail recently.
Deepak Gupta will remain in Vigilance custody and will be produced before court on September 11. The Vigilance hopes to unearth more evidence and links in the case after interrogation of Gupta.