Vigilance officers on Monday conducted raids simultaneously at many places, including the residence of suspended Deputy Director of Mines Manas Mohanty in Bhubaneswar, in connection with the Rs 1,800-crore mining scam in Keonjhar district’s Uliburu iron ore mines.
The raids were held in Bhubaneswar, besides at the Athagarh residence of a Forest Department official, sources said. CM had ordered Vigilance probe into the scam following an inquiry report of the Revenue Department in the wake of media exposé of the illegal exploitation of mineral in June.
Meanwhile, the Dept of Mines has begun proceedings against seven of its officials, including Deputy Directors of Mines Manas Mohanty and Madanmohan Biswal, who have also been placed under suspension. Recently, the Forest Department also initiated action against seven Foresters and Forest Guards, who were posted in the Uliburu region in the Keonjhar Forest Division’s Barbil Range during 2005-2009 when the unlawful mining took place.
The concerned BK Mohanty Mines had accorded power of attorney of the Uliburu mines to the Snehapusph Marketing Pvt ltd owned by one Deepak Gupta. The miner, however, allegedly made illegal extraction of iron ore worth over Rs 1,800 core from six hectares of Reserve Forest and 29 hectares of Revenue Forest.