Bhubaneswar: Crime Branch officials Thursday arrested Gopalpur MLA Pardeep Panigrahi in connection with a job fraud case lodged with the Cyber Police Station here by Tata Motors. Earlier, he was picked up from his official residence in the City for interrogation.
The Crime Branch announced later through its Twitter handle, “Hon’ble MLA Dr Pradip Kumar Panigrahi is being questioned in connection with CID CB Cyber Crime PS case no 26/2020.” However, it did not mention the place where he is being questioned.
On the other hand, Panigrahi’s wife Sujata raised objections against the manner in which her husband was picked up by the Crime Branch sleuths. Speaking to the media, she alleged that Panigrahi was treated like a Naxalite. ”Some officials came to our house in four vehicles and informed us that my husband was being taken to the EOW office questioning.”
Sujata alleged that her husband’s arrest is part of a political conspiracy to keep him away from Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. She said that there was a threat to her husband’s life.
Notably, Tata Motors officials had lodged a complaint with the Crime Branch’s Cyber Cell accusing Akash Pathak — son of suspended IFS officer Abhay Kant Pathak — of duping several job aspirants on the pretext of providing them with jobs in the automobile major. Pathak allegedly duped around 67 persons from Gopalpur by impersonating as the Managing Director of the company.
Recently, a team of Crime Branch visited Pune in Maharashtra to probe into the job fraud case.
In another significant development, the Enforcement Directorate has started investigations into money laundering charges against the father-son duo. Following the Vigilance department’s request, the ED officials collected several documents and bank details related to the Abhaya Kant and his son.
The father-son duo is currently being grilled at the office of Vigilance Directorate in Cuttack after they were taken on three-day remand in connection with the disproportionate assets (DA) case.
Earlier in the day, Panigrahi targeted the state government questioning about the status of dal (cereal) scam of 2011. “I am asking about the dal scam. When was the case registered and when was it closed? What is the status of the case now and why it was closed?” he asked. The MLA requested the Chief Minister to reopen the case for investigation and bring the truth before people.