Bhubaneswar, Aug 11 (IANS) Orissa’s vigilance department Tuesday filed cases against nine people, including state officials and two mine owners, for their alleged involvement in illegal mining in Keonjhar district.
“We have filed cases against nine people. Some people are likely to be arrested soon,” Deputy Superintendent of Police (Vigilance) D.D. Pattnaik told IANS.

According to him, cases have been filed against two joint directors, a former director, a deputy director, a mining officer and a section officer of the mining department.

Besides, a forest range officer and two mine owners were also booked.

The vigilance department was last month asked by the state government to investigate after opposition parties alleged that large-scale illegal mining was going on in the mineral rich Keonjhar district in over 36 hectares area.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader K.V. Singhdeo had moved an adjournment motion in the assembly July 10, alleging that a private company had been mining manganese in the region.

Although state Steel and Mines Minister Raghunath Mohanty described the allegation as baseless, the government a day later ordered the vigilance probe, after Singhdeo produced documentary evidences of the illegal mining.

The probe found evidence of illegal mining in the area, with the complicity of several government officials.

Vigilance Department Director Anup Kumar Patnaik told IANS Sunday that a team of 20 to 25 officers, conducting the inquiry, had examined papers, gone to the offices of mining and forest departments and inspected the spots.

“We found evidence of illegal mining. The area where the mining was going on was not leased out to anybody. The local officials of the forest and mining department knew that the illegal mining was going on but they did not take any steps to stop it,” Patnaik said.