‘Controversial’ Koida BDO Pallabi Rani Raj Transferred To Odisha’s Sambalpur

Bhubaneswar: Buckling under Opposition pressure, the Odisha government has transferred ‘controversial’ OAS officer Pallabi Rani Raj, who had been serving as BDO at Koida in Odisha’s Sambalpur for over 3 years, to Sambalpur.

“Pallabi Rani Raj, BDO, Koida has been hereby placed in GA&PG Deptt. For her posting in O/o RDC(ND), Sambalpur,” the official notification issued by Revenue and Disaster Management Department said.

The BDO has been in the eye of the storm over alleged improper utilisation of developmental funds and unruly behaviour towards people representatives. Visuals of the OAS officer slapping a school committee president had also gone viral.

On March 21, CPM workers locked the Koida block office demanding immediate transfer of the BDO alleging her involvement in corruption and nepotism. Congress and BJP legislators too had raised the issue in the Assembly and sought her transfer.

Trouble in her personal life also came to the fore a few days back when she filed a police complaint against her father Ramesh Chandra and brother Sangram Kumar alleging assault.

The OAS officer was posted in Koida in 2019. In October 2021, her transfer was abruptly cancelled on personal grounds, sources said.