A raid was conducted by a Central Excise team on Friday in the B block mines of Serajuddin Mines having an annual production of about 1.5 million tonnes, the largest mines under the Joda Mining Circle of Keonjhar district.
The team of five officers of Rourkela and Bhubaneswar Central Excise offices conducted the raid. The team examined files and seized some documents relating to the production and billing system of the company. There is some allegation of under-billing of the iron ore in direct cash payment by causing revenue loss to the Government, about which the Shah Commission had indicated in its finding.
Similar raids were conducted by the ED (Enforcement Directorate) about two months back in the Serajuddun Mines and Indrani Patnaik Mines.
After Friday’s raid, a sense of fear is prevailing among other mine operators also.