Corruption in SAIL: Selective approach of CMD
When top rots the entire institution rots: When Ahuja and Natarajan, one head of the sales group and the other head of CMO, both are under scanner and enjoying important and lucrative postings, it is foolish to expect from other officers who are also from sales group of CMO, not to indulge in corruption and other related nefarious activities.
Dr Ashok Kumar Panda CMD SAIL who hails from the state of Odisha and has spent large part of his career in the Rourkela Steel Plant of SAIL had recently received a corruption complaint against an officer of Central Marketing Organisation who was posted at the Rourkela Branch of CMO.
In order to portray himself different from his two predecessors Soma Mondal and Amarendu Prakash who sided with the corrupt officers in the matter of corruption of Rs 800 Crores cases being investigated by CBI under directions of the LOKPAL of India, Panda immediately sprang into action and removed the officer concerned from a ‘public dealing’ post to a ‘non-public dealing’ post.
Who is really at fault? Lower and Middle management is reflection of the Top management. When top rots the entire institution rots
If an institution starts protecting and glorifying its corrupt employees and take a severe action against an honest Whistle Blower, such things are bound to happen. When SAIL management has turned its corrupt officers into ‘Heros’ and Whistle Blower Rajeev Bhatia into ‘Villain’, then the employees will certainly incline to become ‘Heros’ by emulating the acts of their corrupt peers/seniors. And the same is happening.
Please read our story dated Apr 15, 2026 “SAIL on rampage, murders honesty, corporate governance, accountability, transparency, ethics, morality and human values, none spared
“Zero tolerance towards corruption” is a myth
Rather than “zero tolerance towards corruption” approach, it seems that the complainant was known to Panda since he has spent large part of his career in Rourkela. In order to oblige the complainant, Panda may have acted immediately. There is a grave possibility that his approach would have been like his predecessors had the matter taken place in any other state of the country.
When this officer can be removed pending inquiry, why not others?
If Panda is generally so serious about corruption in SAIL, then by now, he would also have at least shifted the other officers of CMO to ‘non-public dealing’ or ‘non-sensitive’ posts whose roles are quite well established in sales to numerous FAKE PROJECTS and sales of SWR14 Grade Blooms at exorbitantly low prices inflicting huge loss to exchequer of SAIL deliberately.
SAIL project Scam is already a proven scam. Read our story “Project Scam: SAIL website proved Scam”
https://www.bureaugram.com/news/sail-project-scam-sail-website-proves-the-scam
The glaring among all is the example of Munish Ahuja whose role is well established in sales to large number of FAKE PROJECTS and sales of SWR14 Grade Blooms to Durgapur based customers, is being continued on the chair of ED (Sales & ITD) that too despite being CGM only. What is stopping Panda to undo the blatant favours granted to Ahuja by his predecessor Amarendu Prakash?
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https://www.bureaugram.com/news/sail-project-scam-will-cmd-sail-remove-ahuja
Promotion festival is soon starting, Corrupts already started celebrating
Amarendu Prakash placed Ahuja on the chair of ED (Sales & ITD) that too despite being CGM only. However, his successor Panda is planning to promote him to ED (Sales & ITD). News is rife that Panda is will undo the mistake of his predecessor by this way.
It can be said that it is merely the bad luck of the officer concerned that he was posted in the state of CMD otherwise there are a large number of officers in CMO who are making merry till date despite numerous irregularities remained affixed to their names for more than three years now.
Height of the matter is that since the officer concerned is from CMO, his removal order was signed by T N Natarajan, the Director (Commercial) of SAIL is under scanner for his role and involvement in supplies to large number of FAKE PROJECTS while occupying the posts of RBM and RM of Western Region.
When top rots the entire institution rots: When Ahuja and Natarajan, one head of the sales group and the other head of CMO, both are under scanner and enjoying important and lucrative postings, it is foolish to expect from other officers who are also from sales group of CMO, not to indulge in corruption and other related nefarious activities.
The other side of the coin
The officer concerned was a non-Odiya officer. Had he also hailed from Odisha, the outcome would have been different. The officer who has been removed reported to an officer named S Mohanty who also hails from Odisha and remained posted in his home-state Odisha itself since 2000.
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Over 26 years in two locations, 300 KM away, both in the state of Odisha |
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From |
To |
Location |
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2000 |
Mid 2007 |
SRMO-RSP |
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Mid 2007 |
Mid 2008 |
BSO-Rourkela |
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Mid 2008 |
Mid 2010 |
SRMO-RSP |
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Mid 2010 |
Mid 2021 |
BSO-Bhubaneshwar |
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Mid 2021 |
Mid 2022 |
SRMO-RSP |
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Mid 2022 |
Jan 2025 |
BM-BSO-Rourkela |
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From year or so the officer is holding charge of Branch Manager of both Rourkela and Bhubaneshwar branches of CMO |
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Was this an effort to push a non-Odiya officer out and smoothen the things for an Odiya officer?
Since been there are over 26 years continuously, Mohanty wields a lot of influence among customers particularly traders in that area. In addition, A K Behera, the Regional Manager of Eastern Region of CMO also hails from Odisha and has also worked there for over 10 years. Read on story dated Apr 06, 2026 “SAIL PROJECT SCAM: Will Odiya CMD take action against Odiya officer, or ‘Nepotism’ continues?”
