HC urged to reopen PILs on mining scam

Cuttack: While Orissa High Court verdict on PILs seeking CBI enquiry into the multi-crore mining scam in the sate is kept reserved after completion of hearing in April 2011, one of the petitioners filed a case on Tuesday questioning the sincerity of the ongoing vigilance probe into the case. Petitioner Bhavani Shankar Parija through his advocate made a fresh appeal urging the High Court to call for the records of investigations conducted so far by the state vigilance department into the mining scam.

The vigilance wing has registered at least seven cases on mining scam in which charge-sheets have been filed against 16 persons, including many government officials from the mining department and the cases are still open.

The petitioner claimed the tainted officials are still continuing in the same posts even as they were arrested and charge sheets filed against them.

Questioning the sincerity of vigilance probe into the scam, he said he had sought HC intervention to know about the progress made till date on investigation by the vigilance. The same petitioner late last year had urged the High Court to restrain the state government from issuing any fresh mining licenses pending disposal of the adjudicated PILs.

At least seven PILs were filed in the High Court last year, all seeking CBI probe into mining scam. The HC however, tagged four of them and held analogous hearing on the matter.

After completion of hearing on April 18, 2011, a Division Bench of the High Court comprising Chief Justice V Gopala Gowda and Justice B N Mohapatra had reserved the verdict.