Ex-Director of Jharkhand Mines Department Surrenders in CBI Court Amid Corruption Allegations

Ranchi, Dec 19 (NationPress) Indra Dev Paswan, who previously held the position of director in Jharkhand's Mines Department, turned himself in at a CBI court in Ranchi on Thursday, amid accusations of corruption regarding the unlawful allocation of iron ore mines to Usha Martin Ltd.

Immediately following his surrender, Paswan submitted a bail application, which was granted by the court on the condition that he provide two personal bonds of Rs 50,000 each and relinquish his passport.

This case revolves around the allocation of iron ore mines in Ghatkuri, located in the West Singhbhum district, dating back to 2005. The CBI initiated an investigation after allegations emerged regarding irregularities and corruption in the allocation process.

In September 2016, the Delhi unit of the CBI filed an FIR, implicating several individuals, including the then Mines Secretary Arun Kumar Singh, Paswan, and the promoters of Usha Martin, under charges of criminal conspiracy, fraud, and breaches of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

The FIR pinpointed the promoters of Usha Martin along with mining department officials, asserting that the state government’s representatives had allegedly demonstrated favoritism towards Usha Martin in their recommendations sent to the Central government for mine allocation.

The company had pledged to use the extracted iron ore for its steel plant at Hat Gamharia, providing a formal undertaking to that effect.

However, the CBI later claimed that the company failed to uphold its promise, citing the lack of explicit details in the cabinet note.

After concluding its investigation, the CBI submitted a charge sheet in January 2023, which has recently been acknowledged by the court.

Additionally, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had previously provisionally attached certain immovable assets of the company, estimated at around Rs 190 crore, related to the wire rope business located in Ranchi.