Orissa mining scam: Centre ready to support CBI probe

Close on the heels of CBI showing willingness to probe the multi-crore mining scam in Orissa, the central government has informed Orissa High Court that it is also prepared to extend all cooperation to the investigating agency if the Court so desired.
       
Deputy controller of Regional Control of Mines of the Union government TK Rath told the court in an affidavit that the Centre would extend all logistic support to CBI to probe the mining scam.
       
The affidavit came yesterday in the wake of a notice issued to it by the court while adjudicating a PIL.
 
At least four PILs have been filed in the High Court urging it to direct the CBI to probe the scam, rocking the state for the last couple of months.
       
While opposition parties have sought a CBI investigation, the BJD government has rejected the demand and ordered the vigilance wing functioning under police department to probe the scam.
 
After making preliminary investigations, the vigilance sleuths have till date registered at least 10 criminal cases against several companies and government officials.
 
The vigilance directorate has claimed that they have detected more than Rs1000 crore misappropriation in the scam.