Khurda: Villagers of Lokanathpur and Sarua have lodged a complaint of land grabbing against OTV Managing Director Jagi Mangat Panda at Baghamari police station in Khurda district.
The villagers alleged that the father and brother of Jagi Mangat Panda, the owner of OTV and Tarang channel, have encroached on two ponds at Sarua and one pond at Lokanathpur and constructed boundary walls, depriving them of using the pond water for bathing and agriculture works.
They have also accused Aniruddha Panda, a relative of the OTV MD and the project in-charge, of threatening them with dire consequences if they protest against the construction of the boundary wall.
Police said that they have started an investigation after registering a case under Sections 506, 447 and 34 of the IPC and the SC and ST Prevention of Atrocities Act.
Earlier on October 1, police had begun an investigation after hundreds of people of Sarua, Jayamangal and Goudaput villages had demonstrated over the alleged land grabbing in their area by the OTV MD.
On the basis of their complaint, the Baghamari police had registered a case.
In that case, Aniruddha Panda had refuted the villagers’ allegations. Panda said there is neither any forcible occupation of land nor the road to the fields is blocked.
Maintaining that the land was purchased in accordance with the law, he claimed that some people with vested interest were trying to malign OTV.
In a press release, the OTV MD had also claimed that the state government has targeted OTV for covering some stories about COVID-19 mismanagement in Odisha. Panda further said there will be more such false cases against OTV in the future.
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