Three lessees charged with violation of Rule-37 of Mineral Concession Rules-1960 – Indrani Patnaik, KJS Ahluwalia and R P Sao- have filed petitions in the revision authority under Union ministry of mines, dealing a blow to the ongoing investigation by the state steel & mines department.

Indrani Patnaik has even got an interim order from the revision authority barring the state government from passing any final order in case of Rule-37 violation before the lessee’s revision application is disposed off by the authority. The state government, however, has been allowed to carry on hearing in the case, said a steel & mines department official.