Crime Branch Picks Up Expelled BJD MLA Pardeep Panigrahi From House In Bhubaneswar

Bhubaneswar: Gopalpur legislator Pradeep Panigrahi, who was expelled from ruling BJD in Odisha recently, was reportedly picked up by some people identifying themselves as Crime Branch EOW officials from his official residence here on Thursday evening.

Panigrahi’s wife Sujata told the media that some persons came in 4 vehicles and introduced themselves as EOW officials of the Crime Branch and dragged her husband from the house like a ‘Naxal’.

“I followed the vehicle to the office but the vehicle that carried him didn’t reach there. I do not know the whereabouts of my husband. It hardly takes 8 minutes to reach the EOW office from my residence,” she said.

The MLA’s wife further said, “If anything happens to my husband, the Chief Minister will be responsible for that.”

Meanwhile, in a tweet, Odisha Crime Branch said, “Panigrahi is being questioned in connection with CID CB cyber crime case.”

The BJD president and chief minister Naveen Patnaik had expelled Panigrahi from primary membership of the party for “anti-people activities” on November 29.