CCD founder VG Siddhartha had mining interests in Odisha

Bhubaneswar: Cafe Coffee Day owner VG Siddhartha had business links in many places across India, including Odisha. The matter came to the fore hours before the body of the Bengaluru-based businessman was recovered from Netravati River in Karnataka today.

Reportedly, one of Siddhartha’s listed companies 'Sical Logistics' presently under the administrative control the Coal India Limited provides logistics support for mining operations in several places of the country including Odisha.

Sical is presently undertaking mining operations at MCL’s Bharatpur coal mines in Talcher.

The MCL plant was recently in news following the death of four workers in a landslide incident at the open cast mine. Nine other workers were also injured in the mishap. Sources further claimed that the landslide incident last Tuesday night happened during the quarrying activities carried out by Sical Logistics.

The Cafe Coffee Day owner went missing on Monday, and his body was found early on Wednesday following a massive search operation involving multiple agencies. A group of fishermen recovered the body from the Netravati River near Mangalore, at a distance from the bridge where the coffee baron was last seen on Monday.

Two days prior to his disappearance, the 60-year-old businessman had left behind a note to his employees that revealed he was in deep debt.