Baripada: Following the arrest of two persons for allegedly forging the signature of the Maurbhanj MP, Bishweswar Tudu, police have revealed the modus operandi of the accused.
IIC of Baripada Town Police Station, Birendra Senapati told the media on Tuesday night that one of the accused, Hemant Soren, is the mastermind. Soren is a samiti member of Morada panchayat and is working in the BJP legislator’s office at present.
The other accused is Sailesh Giri, a computer operator in the MP’s office.
Police said both the accused are BJP workers. While one is a relative of the MP, the other is a member of the BJP media cell.
“The investigation has revealed that Soren used to collect money from people with the promise to provide them work in schemes under the MP Local Area Development (MPLAD) fund. Besides, he was not paying the salaries of the MP’s personal driver and staffers in his office,” the IIC said.
The complicity of Soren and Giri came to light during the implementation of the two ITDA (Integrated Tribal Development Agency) projects, one in Baripada and another in Morada panchayat.
“The MP suspected foul play in the ongoing ITDA project in Ward no. 22 of Baripada town because the work was underway at a different location than the earmarked area. The MP also had misgivings about the construction of a Chhau pandal in Morada block. Following this, he lodged a complaint on the basis of reports by the engineers concerned,” the IIC informed.
“Acting on the complaint, police immediately began a probe and found that Soren, with the help of some people, forged the signature of the MP in a duplicate office pad and sent it along with the project proposals to the PA, ITDA for approval. Police have seized the duplicate office pad and arrested Soren and Sailesh. The two accused will be forwarded to court on Wednesday,” he added.
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