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Bhubaneswar: After being on the run for over two months, Deepak Gupta, the power of attorney holder of BK Mohanty iron ore mines and main accused in the Rs 1800 crore Uliburu mines scam has finally been arrested by Vigilance sleuths on Wednesday. Gupta will be produced before Keonjhar Vigilance court on Thursday.
The arrest of the Uliburu mining scam main accused has come days before the September 12 date given to Gupta and four of his family members by the Keonjhar special vigilance court to depose before it in connection with the multi-crore scam.
Soon after the arrest, Gupta however said, “This is a fabricated story. Actually, I have worked as the provision of the law with valid documents supported and all from competent authority. Now, I have come to office, because I was issued a notice to appear before the authority on August 5.”
“I have brought all my valid supporting documents to put forth my case. And now, as such the case is in the honorable court of law, I will abide by the decision of the court,” added he.
On the other hand, the vigilance sleuths claimed that he (Deepak) was arrested in connection with the case.
“We have arrested Deepak Gupta in connection with Uliburu scam and he is being interrogated. From the documents obtained, the involvement of the Guptas is confirmed,” Sashibhusan Mishra, SP (vigilance) stated.
Though Gupta’s father Haricharan Gupta, mother Kantidevi Gupta and wife Nitu Gupta, co-accused in the illegal mining activities, appeared before the probing agency on August 27, after the Orissa High Court granted an interim relief restraining these three from arrest, the officials had asserted on the arrest of the prime accused.
“Today we interrogated all the three and are trying to arrest Deepak Gupta as soon as possible,” Mishra had said.
During the interrogation, the petitioners had stated that they were mere directors of Deepak Steel and Power Ltd (DSPL) and had no active involvement in the business affairs nor any dealing.
Lalit Mishra, counsel for the petitioners pleaded that they did not have any vicarious liability as Deepak Gupta was the lone director, who managed the affairs of DSPL as well as the Snehapuspa Marketing Pvt Limited, through which he had the power of attorney by the original lease-holder BK Mohanty.
According to highly placed sources, the agency officials are trying to trace Champak Gupta, the brother of Deepak, who is also a co-accused in the swindle.
While the Vigilance wing has so far registered criminal cases against 18 people including Deepak, the State government has taken action against 20 officials (including two IFS), from both Steel and Mines Department and Forest Department, for their alleged complicity in the case.
