The delays in action against guilty officials of the Barbil Forest Range, who allegedly let three accused mining mafias off, have raised much hue and cry here.
Sources revealed that on October 8 last, the Barbil police had handed over the three accused in connection with a mining theft. However, the Forest department freed them after detaining for two days, without further proceeding.
When contacted, Range Officer Padmanav Rout told that nothing illegal had been done. DFO Keonjhar Santosh Joshi, however, said the whole matter will be probed by the ACF.
Meanwhile, it is demanded that there should be proper inquiry into the matter, because the accused freed are said to be involved in many mining theft cases.