Odisha’s Media Baron Soumya Ranjan Patnaik Steps Down As ‘Sambad’ Editor

Bhubaneswar: Media baron-politician Soumya Ranjan Patnaik has stepped down as ‘Sambad’ editor and chairman of Eastern Media Limited, owing to personal reasons.

Tanaya Patnaik, his daughter and executive director of Sambad Group, will succeed him as editor of the leading vernacular daily, sources said on Monday.

Soumya Ranjan, who is also an MLA from Khandapada, was removed as BJD’s vice-president last month amid his critical views on the ruling dispensation and rising influence of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s private secretary V K Pandian in the government and the party. He was later expelled from the party for anti-people activities following allegations from the Economic Offences Wing (EOW), which accused him of running a “meticulously organised loan scam” with Rs 50 crore loan taken from various banks using forged salary certificates of its employees.