Bhubaneswar: Congress on Monday demanded a CBI probe into alleged loot of iron ore worth Rs 2,000 crore in Uliburu area of Keonjhar district and claimed that vigilance inquiry ordered by the Odisha government was "misleading".
"It will be proper to hand over Uliburu mining loot case to CBI as Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik was in-charge of forest department when iron ore was looted from forest land," Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) President Jayadev Jena told reporters here.
The vigilance inquiry ordered into the matter is an "eyewash" and a "ploy to mislead the people," he said adding the anti-corruption vigilance wing would not be able to conduct proper investigation against the chief minister.
Hitting out at the Chief Minister for not going for CBI probe into a series of scams in various spheres, Jena said Patnaik should hand over investigation into Uliburu mining scam to CBI instead of sticking to vigilance probe if he is really innocent and honest.
Alleging that loot of iron ore was taking place in full knowledge and protection of the chief minister, the PCC chief said officials of forest and mines departments involved in the scam were also being shielded by the BJD government.
Jena further said that the license of the companies which indulged in excess mining should not be renewed at any cost.
PTI
