Bhubaneswar: Braja Kishore Pradhan, BJD MLA from Odisha’s Talcher, deposed before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) here on Friday in connection with a mining case.
According to sources, the central agency summoned the legislator in a case related to illegal mining and his alleged business links with Jitu Patnaik, a former Independent MLA and influential mine lessee.
Pradhan is allegedly associated with a company, which earned crores from mining at Talcher and is involved in tax evasion. The income tax department had conducted raids on this company earlier this year.
The ED may record his statement under Section 17 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, sources added.
Last year, the ED had attached properties and bank deposits worth Rs 133 crore belonging to Jitu Patnaik, who was earlier booked under PMLA.
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