CUTTACK: THE Orissa High Court has directed the state-level committee (SLC), headed by the chief secretary, to examine serious allegations of fund misuse and irregularities in the management of the District Mineral Foundation (DMF) Trust, Keonjhar. The direction came in response to a PIL filed by social activist Subhakanta Nayak, raising concerns over the alleged misuse of DMF funds intended for welfare and development projects in the mineral- rich district.
On August 21, the division bench comprising Chief Justice Hari sh Tandon and Justice MS Raman was informed by additional government advocate (AGA) Saswat Das that the SLC had initiated the process of gathering reports from the 12 departments concerned. While five departments have submitted their reports, responses from the others are still awaited.
The AGA sought two more months for completion of the process. Considering the request, the court granted time and posted the matter for further hearing on October 22, exactly one year after the PIL was initially filed. The court emphasised that the SLC must complete its review and submit a comprehensive report before the next date to enable judicial consideration of any further intervention.
The PIL, filed on October 22, 2024, pointed out that despite the DMF Trust, chaired by the collector of Keonjhar, being responsible for funding critical welfare initiatives, the utilisation of funds violated mandatory provisions under the Mines and Minerals (Development & Regulation) Act, 1957.
Earlier, following the filing of a detailed counter affidavit by the collector, the petitioner submitted a rejoinder supported by documents obtained through the Right to Information (RTI) Act. These documents, according to the petitioner, reveal violations of statutory norms governing DMF operations.
Petitioner counsel PK Satpathy argued that the lapses amounted to misappropriation of public funds. Later on January 2 this year, the high court, acknowledging the gravity of the allegations and the documentation submitted, deemed it appropriate to refer the matter to the SLC for a preliminary examination.