Cuttack, March 14: A rejoinder to the Orissa government’s counter affidavit filed in the high court today reiterated that a probe into the role of “mining scam” politicians was necessary. The rejoinder claimed that the scam had “clear political links”.

In its counter affidavit filed following environmental activist Biswajit Mohanty’s intervention petition, the state government had ruled out the necessity of a probe into the role of politicians allegedly involved in the scam. The petition was filed in connection with lawyer Rini Rath’s PIL seeking a CBI probe into the scam. While it was pointed out in the intervention petition that the nexus of officers of mining departments with politicians had not been investigated by the state vigilance police, the counter affidavit had rubbished the allegations.

Mohanty has followed up with a rejoinder claiming he in his petition “provided evidences of letter of requests made by politicians and ruling party MLAs and ministers which should have prompted the state vigilance police to launch an investigation.”