Former Champua MLA Jitu Patnaik told a Press meet at Joda on Sunday that he has no mines in his name in Keonjhar district but his father late BD Patnaik was the leaseholder of 'Kalaparvat Mines', Joda against which a Vigilance case is pending in a court for violation of the Forest Act since 2011.
Notably, the State Vigilance had slapped a fine of Rs 42 crore on the Kalaprvat Mines for violation of the FRA and later filed a case as the fine remained unpaid.
“After my father’s demise, the liability has been transferred to me and my 13 brothers and sisters. So it is wrong to say that I am involved in mining scam of Rs 130 crore,” said Patnaik, a BJD leader.
Alleging that some people are trying to tarnish his political image by spreading false information against him, he said he would file a defamation suit in the court of law to protect his image.