Administrative enquiry into mining scam to cover all tainted leases of state

The administrative enquiry, ordered by the Orissa government into the alleged multi-crore mining scam in different locations of the state, will cover all the mining areas for which allegations of irregularities were raised.

This includes areas of Ram Bahadur Thakur Limited (RBTL), Arjun Ladha and B C Dev.

A team of senior officials from the steel and mines department has already been deputed to the field to ascertain facts and collect details of the mining activities in these areas. The enquiry is likely to be completed in the next couple of weeks. The state vigilance has already covered Arjun Ladha case in its enquiry.

“The administrative enquiry into the alleged mining scam is under process. It covers all the areas for which allegations were made and this is likely to be completed in the next couple of weeks”, Ashok Dalwai, secretary, steel and mines told Business Standard.

Sources said, the state steel and mines secretary, who is conducting the administrative enquiry into the alleged mining scam, has issued notices to all the shareholders of RBTL to appear on 4 September 2009 with all the supporting documents. The documents sought from the company include the order of the Company Law Board (CLB), Court judgement among others.

Since there are issues like liquidation of RBTL and dispute among the family members of the proprietor of the company, their personal appearance before the secretary will help to establish who among the shareholders was competent to issue power of attorney. Only then the locus standi of the company to issue the power of attorney to another person named, Shakti Ranjan Das can be verified.

There were allegation of rampant theft and illegal mining of iron and manganese ores from the mines held by RBTL at Rudukela and Katasahi in Keonjhar district.

Since the government has not granted the mining lease for the RBTL area due to the absence of various statutory clearances, the permission given by the director, mines and deputy director, mines (Joda) to deploy private security in the area is un-authorised.

Due to this reason, both the officials have been issued notice to explain under what circumstances they allowed deployment of security by a private organisation when the mining lease for the patch was not granted to the person concerned.

Meanwhile, the state vigilance is in the process of interrogating the director (mines), R N Sahu in the next couple of days. “We have examined the officials involved in the case and the director will also be quizzed soon”, Devadutta Pattnaik, SP, State Vigilance Cell said.

It may be noted, the Orissa High Court on Friday granted bail to all 8 accused arrested in connection with the mining scam. The High Court asked mines director R N Sahu to surrender before a lower court and obtain bail.

Shakti Ranjan Das, who had claimed to be the power of attorney holder of RBTL was also given bail with a condition that he would not visit the mines area till the completion of the investigation.