Cuttack: Orissa High Court Saturday termed former Cuttack Collector and current Higher Education Director Bhabani Shankar Chayani’s affidavit on sand mining at Kathajodi riverbed as false, said a source.
During the plea hearing, the High Court said that criminal proceedings should be initiated against Chayani, the source added.
“Since such a false affidavit has been filed by such a responsible officer without visualising the ground reality, this Court takes a very serious view of the matter,” the High Court said,
It can be mentioned here that a PIL was filed in the Orissa High Court bringing in allegations of illegal sand mining and transportation from Kathajodi riverbed. Following this, the High Court had sought an affidavit from the Cuttack district administration.
The source informed that the administration, in its reply to the Court, had denied the allegations and stated that fine amount was collected from persons doing illegal sand mining.
Chayani and the present district Collector’s comments on this matter could not be obtained.
It is important to note that Chayani, who was the Cuttack Collector at that time, was transferred and appointed as the Director of Higher Education October 26, 2023. Narahari Sethy subsequently took over as the new Cuttack Collector.
PNN