Ray: Under scanner

Bhubaneswar, May 16: The noose may be tightening around the neck of former Union minister and Congressman Dilip Ray with state vigilance department chargesheeting him over his alleged involvement in two separate cases —disproportionate assets and timber smuggling.

The chargesheet was filed by Sambalpur division of the state’s vigilance department yesterday in the court of the special judge (vigilance). The cases have been pending with the department since 1996. Senior department officials attributed the delay in the chargesheet to “procedural hurdles”.

Since Ray is an incumbent Rajya Sabha MP, vigilance had primarily sought for a sanction from the vice-president’s office to prosecute him in 2001. But the VP’s office asked them to come with an order from the governor’s office, as Ray committed the “acts”, while still being an industry minister under the Biju Pattnaik government. But the governor’s office is yet to give any sanction.

“But, we recently learnt that there were no hurdles in filing chargesheet even if the governor’s office does not provide a sanction,” the senior vigilance official said, on condition of anonymity.

Ray has moved the high court to quash the proceedings against him. Vigilance officials had first raided his residence on June 27, 1996, when Ray was the industries minister (between 1990 and 1995). .

Ray’s “disproportionate” assets were calculated worth Rs 3.88 crore. It was then that a case, under section 13 (1), read with 13 (2) Prevention of Corruption Act, was lodged by the Cuttack vigilance office (Case no 53/28.6.1996). During the search, officials found 17 plots belonging to Ray or to his family members. He also owned a chain of hotels — Mayfair Hotel — at Rourkela, Puri and Darjeeling. The Rourkela one was estimated ay Rs 83.33 lakh. The vigilance thus estimated his immovable properties at Rs 3.30 crore. Among themselves Ray and his family owned several bank accounts. His movable property was valued at Rs 88.38 lakh.

Though the former minister has pleaded that all the properties were legitimate, detailed scrutiny of his income tax returns, wealth tax returns and the chartered accountant’s report rebutted the arguments.

The report of the chartered accountant proved that there is indeed a disproportionate assets case against Ray.

The chargesheet also lists Ray's alleged involvement in a timber smuggling case in Sambalpur. The case (No: 30/22.5.2000) filed by Sambalpur vigilance officials, has implicated the hotelier for his role in smuggling timber from Sambalpur to be used at Mayfair, Puri.

Though the original FIR did not name Ray, he was subsequently charged, as the timber was being taken for use in his hotel. The police officers, who charged Ray under several sections of Indian Penal Code and Prevention of Corruption Act, found that multiple timber permits were issued against a single bill.

“We found that the documents were manipulated to supply timber to Ray’s hotel,” the senior officer added.

Besides Ray, the former forest range officer of Kuanrmunda and two other Mayfair staff, have also been named in the chargesheet.