Sundargarh: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday conducted extensive raids on the mines of Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL) in Odisha’s Sundargarh district over allegation of coal pilferage racket.
According to sources, teams of CBI officials conducted simultaneous searches at Garjanbahal and Kulda coal mines under MCL, as well as at the Kanika Railway Siding. Three teams from the New Delhi office of the CBI are jointly conducting the operation.
The action comes amid allegations that over 75,000 tonnes of coal transported from the mine to the railway siding are unaccounted for. The investigation reportedly focuses on how the coal was moved through the railway siding and who received it.
As part of the investigation, Kanika Railway Siding in-charge Sarada Prasad Sethy was reportedly taken from his official quarters to the siding premises, where he is being questioned by the CBI team. Some employees from the Garjanbahal mine were also detained and questioned at the railway siding.
The central agency is probing in detail how coal was allegedly being illegally transported through the railway siding, who was involved in lifting the coal, and the destinations to which the pilfered coal was being sent. The investigation is focused on uncovering the entire network involved in the illegal coal movement.
Further details are awaited as the raids and interrogation are still in progress.
