Dankari Hill mining scam: I-T Dept seizes 11 ‘benami’ properties in Odisha

In a major development in the probe into the Jajpur mining scandal, the Income Tax Department on Wednesday confiscated ten flats and a large patch of land linked to the suspected orchestrators of the illegal operation, Tapas Ranjan Panda and his associates.

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According to official sources, this action is part of a broader investigation into unauthorised mining activities in the Dankari hills in the district.

Details of the confiscated properties

The landed properties, situated in Ghatikia and Kalinga Nagar localities of Bhubaneswar, are suspected to be ‘benami’ assets—held indirectly through entities associated with Panda and his relatives. Alongside the flats, 11.2 acres of land in Athagarh have also been attached.

The 11 properties seized are registered under the names of Tourism Infratech, a tourism infrastructure firm, and True Aid Foundation, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), both allegedly controlled by Panda and his close associates.

This decisive move underscores a stringent approach toward curbing illegal operations and corruption within business practices.

Notably, there have been widespread irregularities in the extraction of sand and black stone in Dharmasala tehsil. Issues such as flaws in the tender process, lack of proper measurement systems, and excessive and illegal mining have all been allegedly overlooked.

Despite the directions of the Orissa High Court, the re-evaluation of the excess mining volume in the black stone quarry of Dankari Hills has not been conducted yet.

Additionally, the State government has not issued any directive for the collection of revenue amounting to Rs 58.63 crore from a leaseholder, despite the High Court's instructions.

Furthermore, due to the absence of proper measurement at the start and end of mining for minor minerals, around 8.5 lakh cubic meters of black stone have been stolen, with an estimated value of Rs 98.30 crore, as noted by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) in their audit.

Not only has the CAG identified irregularities in the loot of mineral resources from Dankari hills, but the Income Tax Department has also taken strong action in the past week.

In connection with a scam to the tune of around Rs 200 crore related to unauthorised stone mining operations from Dankari hills without a license, the Department has so far attached several assets of the two companies—Tourism Infratech Pvt. Ltd. and True Aid Foundation.

The directors of these companies are Sudhanshu Panda and Lakshyanshu Ranjan Panda.

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The operation underscores the department's commitment to uncovering the depths of this alleged scam and bringing all responsible parties to justice. This case highlights ongoing challenges faced by regulatory bodies in tackling financial fraud in the mining sector, a significant contributor to the regional economy.