Khordha Tehsildar Suvendra Samal and Khordha Sadar police station Inspector-in-Charge (IIC) Bikram Jena on Saturday appeared before the Special Task Force (STF) of the State Crime Branch police which are probing an unholy nexus between the mining mafia, corrupt Government officials and politicians in the illegal mining activities in Khordha district.
Earlier, the STF had served notices to Samal and Jena to appear before the investigating agency personally.
Jena was asked to depose before the STF, which wants to unearth more facts and circumstances that led to a flourishing of illegal mining activities for years near the district headquarters town under the very nose of the administration. “I would cooperate in the STF probe and provide all information they seek. Several criminals engaged in illegal stone quarrying were arrested and vehicles were seized in the past. I have not shown any favour to anyone.
Whenever a mine is leased out, we do not have information regarding it. Police take action whenever we get information or complaint regarding illegal mining operations,” said Jena.
Tehsildar Samal, who was summoned by the STF, said that he has taken a number of steps like seizing more than 200 vehicles and other equipments engaged in the illegal mining activities. He has neither shown any undue favour to anyone nor is he aware about any political links in the illegal mining activities, he added.