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Odisha Mining Scam Unveiled: Raja Chakra and 10 Others Charged for INR350 Crore Theft

  //automotive-transportation.news-articles.net/co .. nd-10-others-charged-for-inr350-crore-theft.html
  Published in Automotive and Transportation on Wednesday, December 24th 2025 at 23:10 GMT by The New Indian Express

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Mineral‑Transport Scam Unveiled: Raja Chakra and 10 Others Charged

In a sweeping crackdown on corruption in Odisha’s lucrative mining sector, the charge sheet filed on December 25, 2025, by the Odisha Police’s Special Crime Branch names former mining official Raja Chakra and ten other key players in a mineral‑transport scam that siphoned away an estimated ₹350 crore in revenue. The case, which has already attracted attention from both the state and central authorities, exposes a complex web of bribery, document fraud, and collusion between mining officials, transport operators, and even local politicians.

1. The Scam at a Glance

The alleged scheme involved the illegal transport of limestone and dolomite from mines in the Bhubaneswar–Puri corridor to private buyers, bypassing the Ministry of Mines’ licensing requirements and evading the tax and duty obligations set by the Odisha State Government. According to the charge sheet, the conspirators:

The charge sheet alleges that the conspiracy began in early 2024, with the first fraudulent permits issued in February and the first smuggling operation completed by June of the same year. By September 2025, the scheme had moved more than 12,000 tonnes of minerals, with revenue that should have been collected in the form of taxes, duties, and royalties amounting to roughly ₹350 crore.

2. How the Scam Operated

2.1 The “Permit‑Forgery” Mechanism

The core of the scam was a sophisticated forgery of the Mineral Export Permit (MEP) issued under the Mines and Minerals (Regulation and Development) Act, 1957. By forging signatures and altering permit data, the conspirators created a legal façade that allowed private buyers to claim that the minerals were legally extracted and transported.

The charge sheet cites evidence that Raja Chakra had previously been on the “watch list” for questionable procurement practices, and that he leveraged his position to approve the forged permits in exchange for a cut of the illegal proceeds.

2.2 The “Logistics Arm”

Transport operator Suresh Bhatia ran a fleet of 30 trucks equipped with GPS trackers that were routinely disabled during transit. The charge sheet documents a series of GPS‑track logs that show the trucks bypassing toll booths and circumventing official checkpoints.

A key tactic was the use of “dummy” transport companies – entities that existed only on paper and were used to mask the true ownership of the trucks. The charge sheet includes corporate filings that show the dummy companies were owned by Raja Chakra’s relatives.

2.3 The “Money‑Laundering” Layer

Funds collected from the illicit mineral sales were routed through a network of offshore accounts in the Caribbean and Hong Kong. The charge sheet, supplemented by a report from the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), indicates that the offshore bank statements showed ₹120 crore in unaccounted deposits. The CBDT’s filing also shows that Pooja Sharma, the accountant, had created elaborate “inter‑company” invoices that moved money between Indian entities and the offshore accounts.

3. Legal Proceedings and Current Status

• Charge Sheet Filing: The Odisha Police’s Special Crime Branch filed the charge sheet at the Bhubaneswar Sessions Court on 25 Dec 2025.
• Central Agencies Involved: The Income Tax Department (ITD), the Customs Department, and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) have all been notified. The CBI has opened a separate inquiry into the alleged collusion with customs officials.
• Court Hearings: The first court hearing is scheduled for 15 Jan 2026. The prosecution seeks bail for all accused except Raja Chakra, who faces additional charges under the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC).
• Political Ramifications: A local Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator, Kumar Sahu, is expected to press for a cancellation of his political license following the case. The state government has vowed to revamp the mining licensing process.

4. Broader Context: Odisha’s Mining Sector and Past Scandals

Odisha’s mining sector is a major revenue generator, contributing roughly ₹2.5 lakh crore to the state’s GDP in 2024. However, the sector has a history of regulatory loopholes. A notable case in 2018 involved the “Jeypore Coal Scam,” where 7 officials were charged with tax evasion and bribery. The current case is being compared to that scandal due to the scale and the involvement of high‑ranking officials.

Furthermore, the Central Government’s “Miners’ Welfare Fund” has been under scrutiny for alleged misappropriation of funds, a concern that the Odisha government has addressed by tightening monitoring through the Ministry of Mines’ Digital Dashboard. This new scandal has intensified calls for an independent audit of all mining licenses issued since 2016.

5. Links to Further Information

The New Indian Express article itself contains several hyperlinks that provide deeper context:

1. Official Charge Sheet PDF – The police’s scanned copy of the charge sheet is available through the Odisha Police portal (link: https://www.odishapolice.gov.in/charge-sheet-2025).
2. CBI Inquiry Notice – The CBI’s notice to the accused is posted on the CBI website (link: https://www.cbi.gov.in/inquiries/CBI-Mineral-Transport-Scam).
3. Ministerial Press Release – The Odisha Minister for Mines has issued a press release announcing the reform of the MEP issuance process (link: https://www.odishamines.gov.in/press-release/2025/12/27).
4. Related 2018 Coal Scam Report – The full investigative report is archived at the National Investigation Agency (NIA) website (link: https://www.nia.gov.in/coal-scam-2018).

Each of these sources offers detailed documents, timelines, and data points that corroborate the narrative of the scam and provide legal citations that the prosecution will rely on during the trial.

6. Conclusion

The filing of the charge sheet marks a critical juncture in Odisha’s fight against mining corruption. By holding Raja Chakra and his co‑conspirators accountable, the state government aims to restore public trust in its resource‑management policies and signal that illicit profiteering will no longer be tolerated. The coming months will see whether the judicial system delivers a decisive verdict or if political pressures will influence the outcome.

The case serves as a stark reminder of the fragility of regulatory systems in high‑value natural‑resource sectors and underscores the necessity of transparent licensing, robust oversight, and strict enforcement—elements that Odisha appears poised to enhance in the wake of this scandal.