Cuttack, Jan. 2: The state vigilance cell has filed a charge sheet against 23 persons, including prime accused Deepak Gupta, in connection with the multicrore Uliburu mining scam.

Vigilance superintendent Sashi Bhusan Mishra said the charge sheet against 23 persons, including 16 government officials, had been filed in the special vigilance court of Keonjhar yesterday. Besides, charge sheet has also been filed against two private companies — Deepak Steel and Power and Sneha Marketing Limited — in connection with the scam. Sources said the charge sheet had been filed under sections 13(2) and 13(1) (c) (d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act and sections 420, 379, 468, 409, 411 and 120 (B) of the Indian Penal Code.

“We filed the charge sheet yesterday and further investigation in connection with the illegal extraction of minerals is on,” he said.

Mishra said that so far investigation revealed that Deepak Gupta, who was arrested in September last year, had illegally extracted minerals from Uliburu mines in Joda circle along with four of his family members. The entire extraction was done by Gupta by the virtue of a power of attorney of B.K. Mohanty, the leaseholder of the Uliburu mines. Mohanty had executed the power of attorney of the leased mines in favour of Gupta, the managing director of Deepak Steel and Power.

Another official source said Deepak Gupta and others had also excavated huge amount of iron ore from nearby reserve forest area by shifting the boundary of the leased mines. Gupta had also dug minerals from the lease area of another mine owner, Jagdish Mishra. The vigilance department has also filed a charge sheet against Mishra.