Balasore: Arrested BJD leader Soumyashankar Chakra, also known as Raja Chakra, was sent to judicial custody until March 19 by the Balasore court, officials said Friday.

According to reports, the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) has not yet filed a remand petition against Chakra, and his lawyer, Raghunath Pradhan, has not applied for bail. Earlier, authorities arrested former cooperative chairman Manas Ranjan Barik and secretary Utkal Das in connection with the case.

Chakra was arrested Thursday by the Crime Branch in connection with an alleged corruption case involving the Gandhamardan Mining Loading Agency in Keonjhar. He is accused of playing a key role in a scam worth Rs 185 crore ($22.2 million).

Authorities allege Chakra, in collaboration with other officials, siphoned off large sums of money. Official records indicate that the cooperative earned a profit of Rs 185 crore between 2017-18 and March 2024, though no audit has been conducted since 2012-13.