The Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has tried to corner the state government yet again on the controversial issue of illegal mining by Ram Bahadur Thakur Limited (RBTL).
This time, the BJP has questioned the merit of the probe by the state steel and mines department in finding out whether RBTL is under liquidation or not.
The BJP, citing a ruling of the Patna High Court in July 2008, claimed that RBTL is a liquidated company and stated that this obviates the need for any enquiry on whether the company was under liquidation.
Addressing the media here, KV Singhdeo, the leader of the state BJP Legislature Party, said, “The Patna High Court in its judgment on July 31 last year had declared that RBTL is a liquidated company. Besides, the status of RBTL on the website of the Union ministry of corporate affairs shows that the company is under liquidation.”
“I don't understand why the steel and mines secretary is asking whether the company is liquidated or not. It seems that the state government is hell bent on protecting RBTL”, he added.
Stating that RBTL is not an operating company, Singhdeo said that the power of attorney given by RBTL to one Shakti Ranjan Das is an act of overarching fraud and it involves the vested interests of many influential people in the state government.
An official source, however, said that the division bench of the Patna High Court had given a stay order soon after the court gave the verdict that RBTL is a liquidated company.
“Our enquiry into the RBTL case is underway and this enquiry would be free, fair and transparent”, the source added.Meanwhile, the BJP slammed the vigilance probe launched by the government into the mining scam saying it is wasting time and energy by raiding different mining companies instead of focusing on RBTL.
The BJP also hit out at the state government on its recent announcement of a four per cent monetary incentive for the government officials for reporting mineral theft. Under the service rules, the government officials cannot be offered incentives as they are paid for discharging duties, said Singhdeo
