ED grills Odisha's richest MLA in mining scam, he denies it
Bhubaneswar, June 28: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday quizzed Odisha's richest MLA Sanatan Mahakud for his alleged involvement in a mining scam, informed sources said.
The Independent MLA, who is associated with transport company Maa Kuanri, however, denied grilling by the ED officials.
The MLA from Champua in mineral-rich Keonjhar district was grilled for hours over his business transactions with mine owners named in the Shah Commission report on the mining scam, the sources added.
"The ED had sought information from me in connection with my business. I have provided them with every bit of information. I am no offender. I am not involved in any scam," Mahakud told reporters here.
The ED had raided mining companies Sirajuddin and Company, Indrani Patnaik and Company and Triveni Earthmovers and the transport company on July 9, 2015, following its FIR under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) on the basis of the commission report.
The Shah Commission had probed the multi-crore illegal mining scam in Odisha.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
MSP demand: Farmer organisations SKM, KMM to start fast unto death from Nov 26
Chandigarh, Nov 16: The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (non-political) and the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha on Saturday announced that they will intensify their agitation in support of various demands, including a legal guarantee for MSP, by observing fast unto death from November 26.
Addressing the media here, SKM (non-political) leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal accused the Centre of not taking any steps to accept their demands.
Dallewal said he will begin the fast unto death from November 26 at the Khanauri border point. "From November 26, we will start fast unto death."
The farmer leader said the Centre has not held talks with the protesting farmers regarding their demands since February 18.
The SKM and the KMM are spearheading the 'Delhi Chalo' march by farmers to press the government to accept their demands.
The protesting farmers have been staying put at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana since February 13, when their march was stopped by the security forces.
They are also demanding the implementation of the Swaminathan Commission's recommendations, pension for farmers and farm labourers, no hike in electricity tariff, withdrawal of police cases and "justice" for the victims of the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence, reinstatement of the Land Acquisition Act, 2013, and compensation to the families of the farmers who died during a previous agitation in 2020-21.
