Mafia King held in illegal mining case

Porbandar, Nov 5: Mafia King Bhima Dula Odedra who was in jail here, was arrested last evening by the police for in illegal mining case.

According to police sources, Bhima was lodged in Jail in connection with several cases, including the murder of a businessman Mulubhai Modhwadia.

He will be produced before the First Class Judicial Magistrate Court in the afternoon today and police will seek remand for ten days, the sources said.

Bhima, one of the accused in illegal mining case, is said to have confessed his involvement in illegal mining to the tune of Rs 14 crore, the sources said.

Police sources said, the police would take action against the quilty. On Octobor 4, Saurashtra Chemicals Limited, a leading soda-ash manufacturer, had lodged police complaint against illegal mining in the company's land and had named Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President and former Irrigation Minister Babubhai Bhokiria, former Congress MP Bharat Odedra, Porbandar Mafia king Bhima Oedara and his son Laxman Odedra.

Subseqently, the Porbandar police and local administration who were investigating into illegal mining had detected theft of limestones worth Rs 54 crore during drive on October 9.

Limestones procured from these mines were supplied to chemicals and cement factories in Porbandar, Jamnagar and Bhavnagar districts.

UNI