‘Expelled’ BJD MLA Had Travelled In Chartered Flight With ‘Arrested’ IFS Officer & Son

Bhubaneswar: Former Odisha minister and ‘expelled’ BJD MLA Pradeep Panigrahi had travelled in a chartered flight with arrested-suspended senior IFS officer Abhya Kant Pathak and his son Akash from Pune to Bhubaneswar.

After a complaint against Akash was lodged with the Crime Branch for allegedly impersonating as Managing Director (In-Charge) of Passenger Vehicle division at Pune and cheating people, proofs had surfaced about Panigrahi’s Pune-Bhubaneswar trip on March 23 this year. The passenger list also includes the name of his daughter, who was all set to marry Akash on December 11. 

This reportedly led to his expulsion from BJD, which accused him of ‘anti-people’ activities. Ganjam BJD president Ramesh Chau Patnaik had also said that the alleged fraud by his would-be son-in-law could not have been possible without any political patronage.

Also Read: BJD Expels Ex-Odisha Minister Pradeep Panigrahi For ‘Anti-People’ Activities

Also Read: The Rise & Fall From Grace Of Ex-Odisha Minister Pradeep Panigrahi

Also Read: ‘Expelled’ BJD MLA Defends Tainted Odisha IFS Officer

It began with what considered to the biggest vigilance raid, covering 5 places in Bhubaneswar, 7 places at Mumbai and Pune in Maharashtra and 1 place in Bihar. The IFS officer was found in possession of disproportionate assets of Rs 9,35,42,594, which was 435 per cent beyond his known sources of income.

Charter flight bills worth nearly Rs 3 crore, involving travel from and to cities like Pune, Bhubaneswar, Patna, Juhu, Mumbai, Jamshedpur and Delhi, were also unearthed.

Also Read: Biggest-Ever Vigilance Raid Unearths Massive Wealth Gathered By Odisha IFS Officer