Odisha: ED attaches assets worth Rs 1.52 crore in illegal mining case

Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], July 18 : Directorate of Enforcement (ED), under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, has provisionally attached assets worth Rs 1.52 crore belonging to Basanta Kumar Das in connection with an alleged illegal mining case in Odisha's Kasiabeda Iron Ore Mines.
"Directorate of Enforcement (ED), Bhubaneswar Zonal Office has provisionally attached assets worth Rs 1.52 crore of Basanta Kumar Das, mining lease holder of Kasiabeda Iron Ore Mines, Badampahar, Mayurbhanj, Odisha and proprietor of M/s Das Bhai Minerals under the provisions of Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002," as per a press release from ED.
ED initiated investigation on the basis of FIR and Charge-sheet registered by Vigilance Department, Odisha Police on the allegation of "illegal mining" from the Kasiabeda Iron Ore Mines, Badampahar, Mayurbhanj, Odisha during the period from 2005-2009.
"Earlier, ED had arrested Anand Kumar Agarwal, Director of M/s Siddharth Sponge & Power Pvt. Ltd. who was involved in the illegal mining in connivance with Basanta Kumar Das. It is also to be mentioned here that search operations under section 17 of PMLA, 2002 were also undertaken in this case," the release said.
Further investigation is under progress.