CM s clean chit will backfire BJP

Bhubaneswar: Taking strong exception to the clean chit given by chief minister Naveen Patnaik to his two ministerial colleagues in connection with the much-talked-about coal scam, the state BJP on Wednesday reiterated its demand of bringing former MD of OSIC Hemant Sharma into the investigation.

Briefing newsmen here, chief spokesperson and vice president of the party’s state unit Ashok Sahu alleged that the chief minister has been a party to the coal scam under the OSIC by protecting the two ministers who were chairmen of the corporation consecutively.

He alleged that Pratap Jena had personally favoured Balaji Coal Traders for selecting it handling agent.

The trader allegedly transported coal from the MCL to a coal depot at Manguli Chhak in Cuttack by trucks and tippers owned by ‘Baba Lingaraj Transport Co’ whose real owner was Jena himself.

He further alleged that minister Badri Narayan Patra was a signatory to a resolution made on February 17, 2009 for setting up coal depots owned by private parties even at places where the MCL has its own depot.

It is in violation of the FSA and also the guidelines set by the Department of Public Enterprises as the expenditure involved exceeded Rs 10 lakh.

Sahu maintained that there are enough materials to constitute prima facie charges against both the ministers to investigate into their complicity in the multi-crore linkage coal scam.

However, the chief minister, by giving clean chit to the delinquent members in the Cabinet has preempted the investigation by the State Vigilance.

He alleged that in face of a clean chit by none other than the chief minister himself, no one in the Vigilance department would finger at these two delinquents even if they are guilty.
Sahu also alleged that Hemant Sharma, the IAS officer, was benefited by being posted as the Director, Industries as well as the OSIC MD as a reward for the services.

He should be brought under investigation, Sahu demanded.