By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR: ED, Bhubaneswar conducted search operations under provisions of PMLA, 2002, at 12 locations in Bhubaneswar, Barbil, Rourkela and Kolkata at the premises of M/s Deepak Steel & Power Ltd, M/s Snehapusph Marketing (P) Ltd, its directors and others in the matter relating to illegal iron ore mining scam in Joda, in Keonjhar in Odisha.
During the search operation, Indian currency worth Rs 30 Lakh, 2 Kg gold bullion worth Rs 1.24 Crore, One Volvo XC40 Car, digital devices and incriminating documents were seized.
A freezing order was also issued to two banks, freezing a balance of Rs 1.23 Crore in six bank accounts related to the directors of accused companies.
M/s Deepak Steel & Power Ltd MD was the power of attorney holder of Uliburu Mines and accused of having raised ore from the reserve forest area adjacent to the mines by shifting the lease boundary. He had reportedly gained more than Rs 1800 crore through the illegal mining activity. In 2013, Odisha Vigilance had arrested Gupta, the prime accused.
The case pertains to Uliburu mines area located in Joda mining circle in Keonjhar district of Odisha where large-scale alleged irregularities were detected by the state mines department.
The Enforcement Directorate earlier had attached a number of immovable and movable assets of the accused firms in the case like Ms Deepak Steel, Ms Deepak Steel and Power and M/s Snehapusph Marketing (P) Ltd and their directors like Deepak Kumar, Champak Gupta and Haricharan Gupta and a few others.
Justice Shah Commission, which probed a number of mining scam cases in Odisha and Goa, had termed this particular case as “one of the biggest illegal minings ever” and recommended a CBI probe into the matter.
