Patana: Police arrested Tuesday, the vice-president of Keonjhar district’s Biju Yuva Janata Dal (BYJD) on charges of tearing up demand draft (DD) of a tender holder at the Saharpada block office premises Monday. The accused Karuna Sagar Khatua (33), a resident of Dubeipenth village of Saharpada panchayat under Patana police limits in Keonjhar district, was produced in a local court.
According to a source, Monday was the last day for submission of tender for the construction of 47 school buildings and boundary walls, amounting to over Rs10,00,000.
Taking all by surprise, Khatua reached the block office Monday afternoon, picked up 11 demand drafts of having valuation of Rs 66,000 from the table of head clerk Hadibandhu Patra and tore them into pieces.
On the basis of Patra’s allegation, Saharpada block development officer (BDO) Lambodar Khuntia had lodged a report with the Patana police station.
Ghatagaon sub-divisional police officer Rabindra Kumar Mallick said Saharpada outpost officer Siba Prasad Aich arrested Khatua under sections of 451, 379, 186 and 332 of IPC and he was produced in a court later in the day.
Notably, there are many pending cases against Khatua at the Patana police station including obstruction of government work.
As of now, a section of BJD leaders are learnt to be creating pressure on district and state level leaders to expel Khatua from the party as he has often been tarnishing the party’s picture.
Saharpada block has been infamous for corruption in contract works. Monday’s incident capped them all, exposing the involvement of BJP and BJD in fixing of tenders.