A team from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) flew in from Delhi to Sambalpur on Tuesday and launching a series of raids linked to long-standing corruption allegations at the Talabira coal mine. The focus of this latest crackdown centres on the Talabira-One site in Khinda, where investigators are looking into claims that coal was extracted far beyond the legal limits set by environmental and operational clearances.
The agency didn't waste any time getting to work, setting up a makeshift interrogation base at the Khinda panchayat office. Nineteen individuals have been summoned for questioning so far, including high-ranking local officials like the Regional Officer of the Sambalpur Pollution Control Department and the Khinda sarpanch. Investigators are currently cross-referencing site records with physical evidence to determine exactly how much excess coal was moved and who signed off on it.
This isn't the first time the Talabira mine has been under the microscope. Originally allotted to Indalco (now Hindalco) back in 1994, the mine has a convoluted legal history. The CBI had previously looked into the project only to close the case later. However, persistent complaints from villagers in 2014 and a wave of evidence presented in 2022 forced the agency to reopen the file. The residents have long alleged that the mining operations ignored environmental safeguards and bypassed regulatory caps.
As the raids continue into the evening, the CBI is expected to seize more documentation related to the mine's output over the last several years. Officials on the ground have indicated that while the questioning is ongoing, the findings from this week's site visit will likely dictate the next phase of legal action against those involved in the suspected irregularities.
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