Indian industrialist Pramod Mittal, the younger brother of steel tycoon Lakshmi Mittal, the main owner of the world's largest steel company ArcelorMittal, was arrested Wednesday in Bosnia on suspicion of fraud and abuse of power. Regional media reported this on Wednesday.
The case is related to the operation of a by-product coke plant in the northeastern city of Lukavac, which Pramod Mittal has been managing since 2003. The plant employs 1000 people. Two other company officials - CEO Paramesh Bhattacharya and another member of the supervisory board - were also arrested.
"The police, acting on the orders of the prosecutor, arrested the chairman of the supervisory board of GIKIL, Pramod Mittal," prosecutor Kazim Serhatlich told reporters. “They are suspected of organized crime, especially abuse of power and economic crimes,” the prosecutor said.
The accused face up to 45 years in prison. The suspects will appear before a judge on Wednesday.
Global Ispat Koksne industrialrije Lukavac (GIKIL) was founded in 2003 and is jointly managed by Global Steel Holdings Pramod Mittal and a local public company (KHK).
Fifteen years ago, Lakshmi Mittala Corporation bought the coke industry in Lukavac. His family invested in Zenica Zelezara and the Lubia Mine near Prijedor. Formally, Mittal was chairman of the supervisory board of Global Ispat Koksne industrialrije Lukavac. Investigators suspect that at least five million marks, or approximately 2.5 million euros, were withdrawn through this company and from Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Earlier it was reported that against ArcelorMittal in Ukraine a case was initiated under article 441 " Ecocide ", and the SBU reported on the suppression of radiation leakage from the company's plant in Krivoy Rog. In addition, in Kazakhstan more than $ 3 million has been recovered from ArcelorMittal Temirtau for environmental damage, and in Italy the question of the criminal liability of the management of the metallurgical plant Il va, which may lose immunity from prosecution for environmental violations at the end of August.
