Odisha: Will Pramila Mallik Come Under ED Scanner ?

Bhubanesewar: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) raided properties linked to Khirod Chandra Mallick, brother of BJD whip and former Odisha Minister Pramila Mallik. The raids were conducted in Sambalpur and Delhi in connection with an alleged Rs 231 crore financial fraud. While Khirod passed away in September 2024, his NGO, Bharat Integrated Social Welfare Agency (BISWA), is accused of defrauding several nationalised banks across Odisha and other states to the tune of Rs 231 crore in 2010. There have been allegations that all the money was used in the last elections. Now the question arises whetyher Pramila Malik will come under the ED scanner?

ED’s entry increases tension

Late Khirod Malik was the founder of BISWA and owed Bishwa Darbar Yatra. He had taken loans from several public and private sector banks. However, it is alleged that he did not repay the loans. ED is conducting searches in connection with the Rs 231 crore fraud case. Simultaneous raids are being conducted at Khirod’s residence, three places in Sambalpur and one place in New Delhi. ED officials are conducting searches at Khirod’s residence and office since Wednesday morning.

BISWA in controversy

Khirod and his NGO BISWA had been in controversy for a long time. It was said that the organisation had spread its wings under Pramila’s patronage during the BJD government between 2000 and 2010. In 2011, allegations of dal (pulses) scam came to the fore. After this, Khirod resigned from the dal supply monitoring committee. Pramila also had to lose her ministerial post. Khirod was subsequently arrested by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Crime Branch in October 2014 in a chit fund fraud case. At that time, he had collected crores of rupees from small depositors without the permission of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). Again in 2019, the Mumbai EOW arrested Khirod and his son Debrabrat Mallick in a financial irregularities case.

Will trouble mount for Pramila?

The ED is investigating the case of a fraud amounting to Rs 231 crore. It is alleged that Khirod misused the money he took from various public sector banks to give loans to SHGs. It is also alleged that Khirod used this money in the last 2024 elections. It was also alleged that there was a large-scale money transaction in the elections. So where did Khirod spend the money? Did he invest the loan money in the elections, and if so for whom did he invest it? The ED is investigating all these. If the ED gets evidence in its hands about Pramila Mallik’s involvement, then trouble for her may increase.

First Bobby, now Pramila!

The BJP government is said to be targeting one heavyweight BJD leader after another. Pramila is a strong leader of the opposition BJD, as well as the chief whip of the opposition party. Pramila has been attacking the state government on burning issues. Therefore, there are allegations that the ED is being used as a weapon against her. Earlier, the BJP government was also in action mode on the empire of BJD heavyweight Pranab Prakash Das. Now there is talk of opening old files and increasing the odds of Pramila Mallick, one of the heavyweights of Jajpur. However, Pramila Mallik’s reaction on the issue was not yet available.