Arrested Gopalpur MLA Pradeep Panigrahi Under ED Lens

Bhubaneswar: With several links emerging in the arrested Gopalpur MLA Pradeep Panigrahi and Akash, son of IFS Abhay Pathak, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has sought several documents including a copy of the FIR registered against Panigrahi by the Crime Branch.

The ED has sought an FIR copy from Odisha Crime Branch for the same, informed ED Joint Director Madhav Mishra today.

On Thursday night, the legislator was arrested by EoW of Crime Branch and later sent to Jharpada jail after his bail plea was rejected by the SDJM Court, Bhubaneswar.

Sources said the ED will probe the former minister’s bank transaction amounting Rs  2.50 crore . In this regard, the investigating agency has sought details of his bank accounts and records of a land belonging to him in Soroda.

Evidence has come to light that Panigrahi collected money on behalf of one Akash Kumar Pathak falsely promising jobs in Tata company to people. This case relates to impersonation, cheating, forgery, criminal conspiracy and other cyber offences by Akash, posing himself as in charge Managing Director of Tata Motors passenger car division, the statement read.