Chargesheeted by Central Bureau of Investigation, the Traffic Manager of Paradip Port Trust (PPT) has been placed under suspension, bringing to fore the alleged corrupt practices in the top hierarchy of the major port.Saroj Kumar Mishra, PPT Traffic Manager, had been booked by the CBI under Prevention of Corruption Act for possessing assets disproportionate to his known sources of income and the tainted official holding a key post was served suspension order on May 21.
On the other hand PPT had reinstated Mishra with Orissa High Court granting stay on the disciplinary proceeding. With High Court vacating the stay recently, the senior PPT official was served marching order yet again. The HC Bench had vacated the stay when it was informed by the port authorities that the Central Government has in the meantime approved the suspension order. The tainted official moved the High Court challenging the suspension on the ground that the Union Ministry of Shipping had not approved disciplinary proceedings against him.
“The Traffic Manager Mishra has been suspended after HC vacated the stay. We had sought for approval from the Union Ministry. With the Ministry according sanction to it, the officer was placed under suspension”, said Chairman of PPT S. Ananth Kumar Bose.
Charges framed against him are being separately probed by Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Anti-Corruption Wing and Vigilance Cell of PPT. He was also facing departmental charges. Drastic step was initiated against him on the basis of the Union Ministry’s directives, besides vacation of stay by HC as his continuance in the office was detrimental to fair and unbiased investigation”, said an official.
The Bhubaneswar Wing of CBI had raided the office and official residence of Mishra in December 2009. Later the CBI submitted charge-sheets against Mishra booking him under Section 13(1) and (2) of PC Act of 1988 after obtaining sanction of prosecution from Union Shipping Ministry. While doing so, the CBI had also recommended the PPT authorities to initiate appropriate departmental action against the charge-sheeted officer.
Accordingly, as per Paradeep Port Employees (Classification, Control and Appeal) Regulation of 1967, disciplinary proceedings against Mishra were initiated by the then Chairman of the PPT.
Controversial officer Mishra had joined Paradip Port on Feb. 1, 1980 officiating as Deputy Traffic Manager till 1990. Later he was promoted to the rank of Traffic Manger on April 11, 2011.
The Vigilance Cell of PPT had detected prima-facie against the tainted official for allotting iron ore within the prohibited port area to an export farm while flagrantly violating the norms and rules. The then Chairman, Mr. K. Raghuramaya, had also suggested stringent disciplinary action against the erring officer for the lapses.
Incidentally skeletons had tumbled out of PPT’s closet immediately after the Mongolian ship MV Black Rose had sunk off Paradip Coast on Sept. 8, 2009. The sunken ship opened up a can of worms on illegal mining activities and the patronizing stand of PPT towards the money-minting mining trade in the State. Alleged acts of omission and commission by PPT officials had grabbed the spotlight as the sunken ship was found to have infringed international maritime law. The Mongolian ship, which was later disowned by its purported owner, was bereft of maritime licence to carry forward sea voyage.
Despite serious and incriminating discrepancies of these natures, the rogue ship had been allowed to carry iron ore export consignments to foreign countries. The Traffic Wing of PPT, which oversees the legalities and proprieties of cargo operation, had come under scanner with officials facing accusation of promoting the nefarious ore export activities.
Besides clandestine allotment of plot to influential ore traders, PPT officials faced charges of favouring stevedores of berthing facilities.
The unlawful mining activities owed its direct link to PPT as the port officials willfully ignored the illegal trade. The materials were exported by way of forged documents with alleged connivance of port officials. Irregularities were not far to seek as the rogue
Mongolian ship had managed to export ores through Paradip Port on a couple of occasions on the strength of forged documents before it met with mid-sea mishap in September 2009.
Traffic Department is the key wing for export and import of cargo for any port. It is duty-bound to keep tab on illegal cargo handling. But PPT had extended both overt and covert patronage to unlawful export and import activity, confided port sources.
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