Berhampur: Berhampur’s BJP MP Pradeep Kumar Panigrahy was acquitted in three more cases of cheating by a special court in Odisha’s Ganjam district Wednesday due to lack of evidence.
A total of five cases were registered at the Baidyanathpur and Golanthara police stations in the district between 2020 and 2022 when he was the local BJD MLA. The cases were lodged after complaints were filed, alleging that he took money to give jobs. He was acquitted in two of the cases Tuesday.
The special MP/MLA court acquitted the former state minister in all five cases with this, said his counsel Deepak Patnaik.
“Truth always wins and the verdict is the victory of the truth,” said Panigrahy.
His supporters celebrated after the court delivered the verdict.
Meanwhile, trials in two cases of corruption and cybercrime were pending against him in Bhubaneswar, sources said.
Panigrahy was arrested by the Crime Branch December 3, 2020, for his alleged involvement in a job scam. He was expelled from the Naveen Patnaik-led BJD for alleged “anti-people” activities.
He joined the BJP ahead of the 2024 elections and got elected from the Berhampur Lok Sabha seat.
PTI