By Our Correspondent in Bhubaneswar, February 21, 2015 :

Odisha steel and mines minister Prafulla Mallick had to pay a fine of Rs 95,000 in 1998 after his truck transporting chromite illegally was caught by cops.

Senior Congress leader Lalatendu Bidyadhar  Mohapatra on Saturday alleged, “A truck belonging to Prafulla Mallick (OR-06-2306) was seized in 1998 by inspector of Parjang police station with illegal chromite ore. Mr Mallick paid a fine of Rs 95, 000 at the deputy director of mines (DDM) office. He also gave an undertaking in the local court saying he would never do such a thing.”

“I want to know whether the Prafulla Mallick named in the case is today’s mines minister or not. If that Prafulla Mallick is the mines minister, chief minister Naveen Patnaik who claims himself a transparent leader should explain why he has accommodated a tainted person in his council of ministers,” the Congress leader quipped.

His party would wait for the chief minister’s action against Mr Mallick.

Mallick admitted that he had indeed paid a fine, but strongly denied any wrongdoing.

“I used to own a truck before joining politics. My truck was hired by a Congress leader for transporting chromite. Since the owner is held responsible for anything that goes wrong with the vehicle as per law, I had to pay the fine of Rs 95,000. I had no way of knowing about the illegality committed. If it is proved that I did it knowingly, I will quit politics,” the minister said.

“After this episode, I sold off my truck,’ he added.