The Crime Branch of Odisha Police on Thursday arrested Biju Yuva Janata Dal state vice-president Soumya Shankar Chakra, alias Raja Chakra, in connection with an alleged multi-crore mining and transport scam. The Orissa High Court on Wednesday rejected Chakra's plea seeking interim protection from arrest. Additional DGP, CID, Crime Branch Vinaytosh Mishra said Chakra was interrogated and asked to clarify his role in the scam and then he was arrested. The Economic Offence Wing of the Crime Branch had earlier in February 2025 registered a case based on a complaint of alleged irregularity in the functioning of Gandhamardan Loading (GML) Agency and a transporting cooperative society limited and misappropriation of funds of the cooperative society in the mineral-rich Keonjhar district. The cooperative society has been created for the welfare of villagers affected by the mining activities. "In the course of the investigation, it was found that the loading agency had earned around Rs 185