Bhubaneswar, March 11: A case was filed against two officials of Director of Orissa Mineral Development Company (OMDC) on Thursday by the Central Bureau of Investigation for their involvement in a scam to the tune of Rs 350 crore.
The officials who have been booked by the apex Central investigating agency are former Director Champak Bannerjee and finance controller of OMDC SC Bannerjee.
According to sources, the two held important positions in the Kolkata-based public sector company and in an Uttar Pradesh-based private company. The case was registered under sections of criminal conspiracy, cheating and misuse of official position. CBI has also included some ‘unknown’ officials in the case for their alleged involvement in the scam.
It was alleged that some officials of OMDC had conspired with the other private persons and companies during the period 2003 to 2010 in formation of a joint venture (JV) for setting up a sponge iron plant in Odisha. Thereafter, the shares of this JV were transferred to private companies in violation of the terms of JV, resulting in huge loss to the exchequer. Searches have been conducted at seven locations including New Delhi, Kolkata and Sultanpur (UP), which led to recovery of incriminating documents relating to the case.
