Bhubaneswar: Bhuban Mohan Jena, a state executive member of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), deposed before the special task force (STF) of the Crime Branch (CB) Thursday over his alleged links with gangster Tito, alias Sayed Usman Ali.
Speaking to media persons, Jena alleged political vendetta against him. Jena has been served notice by the STF to appear as a witness under Section 160 of the CrPC. Sources said he was grilled by the sleuths for more than an hour.
It may be mentioned here that Jena was asked to appear for his alleged business links with Tito’s petrol pump in Paradip. Jena accused the STF sleuths of being lenient to the police officers who had participated in the friendly football matches “sponsored by Tito.” “The STF sleuths have still not questioned the role of the then Collector of Kendrapara, and officers in the district Weight and Measurement and Civil supply departments over allotment of the petrol pump to Tito,” he added. Meanwhile, the saffron party workers staged a protest before the office of the STF CB.
Notably, the Indian Oil Company limited (IOCL) 18 July, 2018 asked the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to enquire about how a dreaded criminal like Tito got license to establish two petrol pumps at Badahaat in Kendrapara and at the company owned company operated (COCO) at Paradip in 2017.