Bhubaneswar: The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Odisha Crime Branch on Wednesday conducted simultaneous raids at the houses and offices of Raja Chakra, Sadashiv Samal and Jyoti Mishra in connection with an alleged mining scam and a dispute over a crusher unit in Keonjhar district.
An EOW team also visited Nunjharan village under Keonjhar Sadar police limits to carry out an on-ground investigation.
The officials measured the disputed site in the presence of local residents as part of the probe.
The EOW had registered a case on October 9 against Raja Chakra, Sadashiv Samal and several others following a complaint lodged by crusher unit owner Anjan Kumar Bej.
A Deputy Superintendent of Police-rank officer is heading the investigation.
In his complaint, Bej alleged that the accused had intimidated people involved in the dispute to facilitate the transfer of land, removed machinery from the crusher unit and failed to repay outstanding dues amounting to Rs 1.22 crore.
He also alleged illegal mining activities at the unit, resulting in losses to the state exchequer.
“My wife and I had lodged a complaint with the EOW SP alleging that Rs 1.32 crore had been misappropriated by Soumya Shankar Chakra, alias Raja, his associate Sadashiv Samal and others,” Bej said.
He further said that the DSP and other EOW officials had summoned him to the disputed site on Wednesday as part of the investigation, where measurements were carried out in the presence of local residents.
Raja Chakra is currently lodged in jail in connection with another mining-related case.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had arrested him in March last year over alleged financial transactions linked to the Gandhamardan Loading Agency at Suakati in Keonjhar district.
The EOW is examining the allegations and gathering evidence to establish the facts and determine the roles of the persons named in the case.
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