Jajpur: The Odisha Lokayukta has directed the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of state Crime Branch to conduct a probe into the alleged plunder of black stone in Aruha hill under Dharmasala tehsil of this district, a report said Monday.
The matter came to the fore after Lokayukta chairman Ajit Singh April 8, 2022 has issued an order directing the DIG to initiate a probe into the irregularities and loot of black stone from Aruha hill by senior and experienced officers. The Lokayukta while issuing the order also asked the EOW to submit its probe report within six months from the date of issuance of the order.
The Lokayukta also directed to handover the complainant’s letter, preliminary investigation report and other papers to the director of EOW to help them in the investigation. The next date of hearing has been scheduled for July 22, 2022. The Lokayukta has ordered an EOW probe on the basis of preliminary investigation report and the replies filed by the opposite parties.
According to the case diary, leaseholder Trinath Jena had allegedly extracted several tonnes of costly black stones from Aruha hill beyond the permitted area. This has resulted in huge loss of revenue to the state government. He is accused of committing the fraud in connivance with local police, Dharmasala tehsildar and tehsil officials.
Complainant Sarbeswar Behura, who is also a social activist, lodged complaints about the illegalities but they were never addressed. Peeved at the development, Behura filed a petition (1355/2020) before the Odisha Lokayukta seeking justice.
The matter was probed in various phases and the investigation director of Lokayukta also submitted a report to this effect.
Over 10 officers who are party to this case also submitted their replies in the case. Anup Kumar Rout, the former joint director, department of Geology, Dhenkanal zonal office, also submitted his report March 31, 2022 while Jajpur Collector submitted his reply January 12, 2022.
In his report, the Collector has mentioned that the lease area is of 3 acre according to development and environmental management plans. The additional areas mentioned in the plan are used for dumping, storage and movement of vehicles. The case has become all the more intriguing with the opposite parties speaking in different voices.
The Collector in his report has stated that the tehsildar has submitted to the ADM that the sketch map of Aruha hill has been prepared wrongly while over 31,548 cubic metre of black stones have been extracted from quarry no-2 without permission January 1, 2022.
Former revenue inspector (RI) of Aruha circle Basudev Sahu has denied preparing any sketch map of Aruha hill. He has only signed on a sketch map presented to him on the direction of the tehsildar. Former Dharmasala tehsildars, Saroj Kumar Panda, Prabhas Kumar Behura, Sital Agarwal, Manoj Kumar Mohapatra, Khirabhdi Tanaya Panda and leaseholder Trinath Jena have rubbished the charges of their involvement in loot of black stones from the hill.