Odisha: Pradhan questions Patnaik on coal block allotment case

Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan on Thursday sought answers from Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik over a coal block allocation which took place in 1998.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has been investigating the alleged irregularities in the case.

"CM Naveen Patnaik should tell the people of Odisha about his relationship with the company he allotted coal blocks in 1998," Pradhan said.

He further questioned as to how Patnaik allotted the coal blocks in 1998 which was allegedly established in 1999.

"I have heard that Naveen babu has filed a wrong election affidavit. He didn't give information in the affidavit that CBI questioned him," he stated.

An impleadment application was filed in the Supreme Court on Monday, seeking direction for the CBI to conclude the investigation in the case. The application sought directions to the agency to present the entire file noting in the case registered in March 2014 in order to ascertain the reason behind the delay in concluding the investigation.

Recently, it has come into fore that Patnaik was interrogated by the CBI in November 2017 in connection with the case.

Patnaik is contesting the Bijepur Assembly seat in Bargarh district in western Odisha.

Odisha has 147 Assembly and 21 Lok Sabha seats. The state will witness Lok Sabha and Assembly polls simultaneously in four phases starting April 11.