Bhubaneswar, Feb. 21: Congress leader Lalatendu Bidaydhar Mohapatra today alleged that steel and mines minister Prafulla Mallick was involved in illegal transport of minerals.

Addressing a news conference, Mohapatra said: 'In 1998, a truck belonging to Mallick (OR-06-2306) was seized by Parjang police station with illegal chromite ore. Mallick also paid a fine of Rs 95,000 at the deputy director, mines, office. He also gave an undertaking in the local court saying he would never repeat such a thing.'

Mallick told The Telegraph that the incident had taken place before he stepped into politics. 'I owned a truck to eke out a living. The truck was hired by a Congress worker to transport the chromite ore. If a driver commits mistake, owner of the vehicle is held responsible for that. On that principle, I was fined,' said Mallick.

The minister said he had also little idea that the truck was used for the illegal transportation of chromite ore. 'After the incident, I had also sold off the vehicle. This issue is being raised with political motive,' he said.