GST ‘raids’ on laterite mining lessees in Nayagarh, Odisha

In a major development in the laterite mining scam at Mayurjhalia under Nayagarh’s Ranapur block, the GST officials reportedly conducted raids on the lessees on Tuesday.

As per reports, the GST officials raided the offices and residential premises of four miners accused in the laterite mining scam.

Speaking about the raids, Ranapur Tehsildar, Ipsit Sahu said, “The GST officials asked for some information about the mines. In fact, we had already provided them the required data, but due to some mismatch, they asked us again to provide the data about mines.”

However, the Tehsildar denied reports of raids and said there were no raids and the officials only sought information about the mines and miners.

It is pertinent to mention here that six officials including two Revenue Inspectors (RI), two Section Officers, one Supervisor, and one Junior Revenue Assistant in Ranapur were suspended after FIRs were lodged against them for colluding with the miners in looting the laterite mines in Mayurajhalia.

Apart from the officials, FIRs were also lodged at Chandpur Police Station against Susant Kumar Barad, lessee of Mayurjhalia Laterite Quarry, and Shashank Agarwal, Director of M/s Agarwal Infrabuild Private Limited, for illegal extraction of laterite stone/soil/murram beyond the lease area.