Irregularities in iron ore transportation: CBI conducts raid

According to sources, the raids were conducted simultaneously on the houses of a businessman in Civil Township area and a railway official in Sector-7, Rourkela.

Separate teams have been formed to conduct the operation at two locations in Rourkela, ten in Barbil and two in Rairangpur, according to an agency official.

The railway sidings at Jurudi and Banspani in Keonjhar district have also come under the investigating agency’s scanner as the officials are vetting documents pertaining to ore transportation from these places.

During raids, the agency officials have reportedly seized documents related to the case.

Last year, a multi-disciplinary investigation had detected massive fraud in ore transportation by some mining companies by showing transport of the ore for exports through railways as movement of domestic consumption.

The domestic freight charge of iron ore transportation is one-sixth of the export rates.