Berhampur: While three-time MLA and former minister Pradeep Kumar Panigrahi has been in 14-day remand by the Crime Branch over his alleged links with tainted IFS officer Abhay Kant Pathak and his son Akash and the recruitment scam, Congress leader and Sanakhemundi MLA Ramesh Jena alleged that Panigrahi has indulged in corruption and many illegal activities by misusing his power as the representative of the Chief Minister in Ganjam.
Addressing a press meet Sunday at Kukudakhandi, he said that officials of various departments should be included in the investigation of the CB.
After he was elected from Gopalpur in 2004 and became the representative of the Chief Minister, Panigrahi misused his power and looted crores of rupees through corrupt and fraudulent activities, Jena alleged.
The Sanakhemundi MLA further alleged that officials of some departments and block chairpersons helped the Gopalpur MLA in shoddy activities.
“Panigrahi has grabbed 111 acres of land belonging to tribals and the forest department in Sorada area. When thousands of migrant labourers were going through hardships during the lockdown, Panigrahi used to enjoy service of chartered flights to Rajasthan and Mumbai,” he said.
Jena also claimed that the Gopalpur MLA has grabbed the land of a gullible person at Courtpeta Chowk by using threat tactics, apart from being involved in illegal murram lifting at Karlapalli hill and Kankada hill.
“When Panigrahi was powerful, he used to harass Congress workers. I was implicated in 54 cases. In many cases, Panigrahi was operating behind the scene. He is even involved in various illegal activities outside the state,” Jena asserted.
He observed that the Chief Minister has taken the right step, but stern action should have been taken against Panigrahi much earlier.
PNN