BJD leader Raja Chakra held in mining scam

Bhubaneswar: The Crime Branch of Odisha Police on Thursday arrested Biju Yuva Janata Dal State vice-president Raja Chakra in connection with an alleged multi-crore mining and transport scam. The Orissa High Court had on Wednesday rejected Chakra's plea seeking interim protection from arrest. The court also rejected bail applications of four other associates of Chakra.

Additional DGP, CID, Crime Branch, Vinaytosh Mishra said Chakra was interrogated and asked to clarify his role in the scam and then he was arrested. Last month, the Economic Offence Wing of the Crime Branch had registered a case based on a complaint of alleged irregularity in the functioning of Gandhamardan Loading (GML) Agency and a transporting cooperative society limited and misappropriation of funds of the cooperative society in the mineral-rich Keonjhar district.

It was found that the loading agency had earned approximately Rs 185 crore from 2017-18 to March 2024.