Bhubaneswar: In the wake of a direction from the Odisha Lokayukta, the State Crime Branch had unearthed huge wealth and assets from former minister and legislator Pradeep Panigrahy who was a close aide of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, alleged the Bharatiya Janata Party in a press release here on Monday.
The Gopalpur legislator was closely associated with the Chief Minister for the past 20 years and had amassed huge wealth beyond his known sources of income. The Crime Branch probe into his assets followed a Lokayukta direction and seizure of his property subsequently.
There are as many as 30-40 legislators and leaders in Biju Janata Dal who are closely associated with the Chief Minister . The properties of such leaders should also be investigated at the behest of the Lokayukta, demanded the saffron party.
Proper probe into the accumulated wealth of several top officials who are spending crores of rupees meant for people’s welfare schemes, thanks to their high connections with the top leadership in the state, alleged State BJP vice-president Bhrugu Baxipatra.
The Lokayukta should suo motu order a through probe into the ill-got wealth of the associates of the Chief Minister, demanded the party vice-president and added that such an action would help remove graft from the corridors of power and ensure transparency in State administration.
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