Former Deputy Director of Mines (DDM) of Joda Circle Manas Ranjan Mohanty, who was suspended for his alleged involvement in the `1,800-crore Uliburu mining scam, was produced on Thursday before the Special Vigilance Court at Keonjhar. The main accused in the case Deepak Gupta, now lodged in the Keonjhar jail, was also produced in the same court as it was his routine appearance. But Mohanty was produced before the court here for the first time after his judicial remand ended on Thursday.
Mohanty, who was absconding for nearly a year, was arrested by the Vigilance from the Unit VI area in Bhubaneswar on June 27 in connection with the mining scam.Notably, the Special Vigilance Court of Keonjhar on August 3 last year had declared five suspended mining officials, former DDM of Joda circle Manas Ranjan Mohanty, mining officer Ramesh Chandra Mahalik, Sisir Chandra Mohanty, Routray Murmu and Purna Chandra Patra, as absconders in the scam and asked them to appear personally by September 11 last year, failing which their properties would be confiscated.
The Vigilance Department has filed chargesheets against 29 persons, including prime accused Deepak Gupta, in the special vigilance court in Keonjhar in connection with the scam. Earlier, State Government had suspended 16 officials, including two officers of Indian Forest Service (IFS), for their involvement in the mining scam.