Bhubaneswar, March 5: The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Odisha has intensified its crackdown on Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leader Raja Chakra in connection with the Gandhamardan Loading Agency Co-operative Society scam. The extensive raids, which commenced on Tuesday, continued into the second consecutive day on Wednesday.
According to the latest reports, the EOW conducted simultaneous raids at six locations associated with Raja Chakra, including Keonjhar, Koida, Dhamra, and Gopalpur. As part of the operation, authorities have seized 200 benami (anonymous) accounts and 20 vehicles allegedly linked to the BJD leader.
The Odisha Crime Branch’s Economic Offences Wing had initiated its interrogation of Raja Chakra, formally known as Soumyashankar Chakra, at 11 am on Monday. This is part of an ongoing investigation into a transport scam involving Rs 500 crore.
Sources indicate that the 11-hour-long questioning session centered on Chakra’s connections to the Gandhamardan Loading and Transport Cooperative Society, which faces multiple allegations of fraud and money laundering.
Reports suggest that the transport society charged exorbitant rates for loading iron ore, repeatedly increasing prices without proper authorization. Additionally, it is accused of misrepresenting financial transactions, allegedly distributing funds to multiple individuals under the guise of company expenses.
The case came to light after a whistleblower alerted the EOW about the transport agency’s illicit earnings, which amounted to several crores through fraudulent transactions. Allegations further suggest that only individuals favored by Raja Chakra benefited from these illegal profits, directly implicating the BJD leader in the ongoing probe.