National Security Act slapped on Orissa criminal

BHUBANESWAR - The National Security Act was slapped Wednesday on a criminal arrested last week in Orissa’s mineral-rich Keonjhar district for his alleged involvement in illegal mining and other crimes, police said.

Jitendra Jha, 36, was arrested last Saturday from his house in Barbil town and around Rs.1 crore cash, some Thai currency and gold ornaments worth more than Rs.25 lakh was recovered from him.

Police also seized about nine bank passbooks, 25 SIM cards, and a revolver with six cartridges.

“We have now booked him under National Security Act. According to provisions under this act, he may be kept under captivity for up to one year without trial,” Superintendent of Police A.K. Singh told IANS.

Jha is the second man in the district to have been booked under the act after Sanjaya Patra, one of his associates.

“They had formed a syndicate and were illegally raising and transporting iron ore from the district. They have made several crore rupees out of it,” Singh said adding that they were also involved in several murder and extortion cases.

Investigations into illegal mining in Orissa by various state and central agencies started after some politicians alleged in July that some mines were operating without licences.

During the past two months, at least 90 people have been arrested in Keonjhar district, 235 km from here, for their involvement in illegal mining.