BJD Leader Questions Appointment Of Officer As Odisha Minister’s Pvt Secretary

Bhubaneswar: Taking a dig at Odisha’s BJP government, senior BJD leader and the regional party’s chief whip in Assembly, Pramila Mallik on Wednesday levelled serious allegation about a Minister’s private secretary and questioned his appointment.

Mallik, a former Minister and ex-Speaker, told reporters that the private secretary to the Parliamentary Affairs Minister is facing vigilance investigation and sought to know as to how he was given the sensitive posting.

The BJD leader, who also raised the issue during zero hour, in the Assembly, claimed that a Vigilance probe had earlier been ordered into alleged irregularities in the recruitment of RIs in Balangir district.

Claiming that probe by the Vigilance is underway against the officer concerned, Mallik sought to know as to how some one facing Vigilance investigation was appointed as private secretary to the Minister.

Terming the appointment illegal, she sought to know whether the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) and Revenue department were unaware of the ongoing Vigilance probe against the OAS officer concerned.

The BJD leader also sought a clarification from the Chief Minister and Parliamentary Affairs Minister on the issue.