By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR: If informed sources were to be believed, Umesh Chandra Jena, Additional Director at the Directorate of Mines in Bhubaneswar, a week back, was alerted by his well-wishers for a possible Vigilance raid but he didn’t pay head to it and he was almost sure that Third Floor read CMO could save him but it was proved wrong and he was finally arrested and forwarded to the Court of Special Judge, Vigilance for possession of disproportionate assets to the tune of 368% of known sources of income , which he could not account for satisfactorily. Jena’s arrest has sent a shockwave in Steel and Mines Department
‘Umesh Chandra Jena, Additional Director at the Directorate of Mines in Bhubaneswar was on Saturday arrested by Odisha Vigilance during investigation and forwarded to the Court of Special Judge, Vigilance for possession of disproportionate assets to the tune of 368% of known sources of income , which he could not account for satisfactorily. In this connection, Vigilance Cell PS case no-02 dated 4.3.2023, has been registered,” Vigilance said in a statement.
‘After thorough search at 13 places in Khurda and Keonjhar districts, and further enquiry, Jena was found possession of 4 Multi stoyered buildings inlcuding 3 at Keonjhar and 1 at Bhubaneswar, 5 Plots in Keonjhar, 650 Gram Gold, 2 each four wheelers, two wheelers and Cash Rs 1.64 Crore ete has been found. His income and expenditure were calculated and he was found to be in possession of DA to the tune of 386% of his known source of income , it said. 10 DSPS, 7 Inspectors and other staff were involved in the raids.
Vigilance suspected that Jena accumulated huge amount during his tenure as Deputy Director of Mines under Joda, Koira Circles in Keonjhar and Sundargarh and Jajpur mining circle. Several allegations were levelled against Jena during his tenure as DDM (Joda) during the Odisha Mining Scam.
Sources said, Jena, was one of the blue eyed boys of State Government, manning Directorate of Mines, years back, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik led Government elevated Jena to the post of Additional Secretary in Steel and Mines department but all of sudden, vigilance raid, has surprised many.
