Bhubaneswar: The TATA Motors authorities Saturday said that Akash Pathak, son of suspended IFS officer Abhay Kant Pathak, was never an employee of the company.
A Commissionerate Police official claimed before the media here that the company has sent a clarification to the Vigilance directorate in this regard.
The Commissionerate Police has been probing the cheating allegations against Akash of around Rs 65 lakh. Akash impersonated the Managing Director of TATA Motors, booked rooms in luxury hotels and tickets for chartered flights worth around Rs 2.78 core. However, he paid Rs 2.13 crore out of the total bill while denying payment of the remaining Rs 65,16,233.
The father-son duo was produced before the court here by the Vigilance after the end of their three-day remand Saturday. The Vigilance officials said that they have collected enough evidence regarding the illegal activities of Abhay Kant and his son Akash.
The Vigilance sleuths are also conducting verification at Patna in Bihar to unearth assets and investments of Abhay Kant and his family members.
Meanwhile, speaking to media, Akash claimed all the allegations against him are false and he would bring it before everyone after coming out of the jail.
In another development, the Crime Branch investigating into the job fraud involving Akash and Gopalpur MLA Pradeep Panigrahi, has been interrogating David Peter, the personal assistant of Akash in this connection.
Notably, Akash has duped several job aspirants from Gopalpur of lakhs of rupees on the pretext of employing them in TATA Motors. He identified himself as the MD of TATA Motors, Passengers Division, to cheat the gullible aspirants.
Police have already arrested Panigrahi in the case for collecting money from the victims on behalf of Akash.