By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR/BARBIL/ANGUL: Why No Action against Uliburu Mining Scam Mastermind IFS Officer Pradeep Raj Karat? After IFS officer Abhay Pathak’s arrest and subsequent compulsory retirement order given to 2 Mining officials of Keonjhar, Satyabrata Rout and Ramesh Chandra Panda, as they have been booked in 5 and 3 Vigilance cases, respectively, questions are now being raised as to why Naveen Patnaik led BJD Government, which is talking about ‘Zero Tolerance on Corruption’ kept mum on 1992-batch Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer Pradeep Raj Karat in connection with the multi-crore illegal mining in Uliburu reserve forest of Keonjhar district. Is Naveen Patnaik adopting double standard in dealing with corruption? Or unseen power shielding the IFS officer, having South connection?. Karat has been posted at Angul as Regional Chief Conservator of Forests since February 2019.
Recently, 6 officials who have been given the punishment of voluntary retirement included DIG, a Commandant, a Deputy Commandant, a DSP, a CDPO and two mines officials. In last one year, a total of 110 officials have been given compulsory retirement in Odisha following corruption cases. Ekanta Priya Nayak, Commandant of Odisha Special Armed Police (OSAP), DSP Goutam Mallick , Debendra Nath Behera, Deputy Commandant in OSAP, junior officials of Mines Department, Satyabrata Rout and Ramesh Chandra Panda, have also been given compulsory retirement but no action against IFS officer Karat, who hails from Southern Indian State of Kerala.
In 2015, the State Government had given permission to the vigilance to prosecute 1992-batch Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer Pradeep Raj Karat in connection with the multi-crore illegal mining in Uliburu reserve forest of Keonjhar district .On July 27, 2013, the vigilance registered criminal cases against Karat and some other forest, and steel and mines department officers for their alleged connivance with mining mafia in the Uliburu scam, running into Rs 1,400 crore.
Karat was posted as divisional forest officer (DFO) at Keonjhar when the alleged scam occurred. Karat, who was subsequently suspended, is posted as conservator of forests at the headquarters of principal chief conservator of forests in Bhubaneswar following revocation of his suspension a few months back.
Vigilance had then said Deepak Steel and Power Limited MD Deepak Gupta was the power of attorney holder of the Iron Ore Mine, whose lease was with B K Mohanty. Gupta ‘illegally’ extracted iron ore beyond the permissible limit in connivance with IFS officer Karat and some other officers. But Karat getting promotion at a regular interval and now enjoying
“IFS officer Karat had abused his official position and showed undue favour to Mohanty and Gupta to extract iron ore in the forest area. Karat also allowed the miners to transport the ore from the forest area but no action taken against him while only 2 small fishes of Mining Department given compulsory retirement,” argued an activist in Bhubaneswar. “It was IFS officer Karat’s responsibility to regularly inspect the forest area and check illegal mining. The mine lease holder and power of attorney holder illegally shifted their operations to the reserve forest. Karat did not prevent them,” he added quoting a Government order.
Vigilance inquiry had said Karat had visited Uliburu forest on April 6, July 20, and September 7, 2006, April 3, 2007, and December 7, 2008, but he did little to take action against the illegal miners. The enforcement directorate (ED) is probing the money trail in the mega scam. The ED had attached Gupta’s property worth over Rs 379 crore. The Orissa High Court few months back had granted interim bail for a period of one month to the Rs 1,500 crore Uliburu mining scam key accused Deepak Gupta on the condition of furnishing bail bond of Rs 2 crore and cash security of Rs 1 crore.
