Sarua Land Scam: One More OIPL Official Resigns

Bhubaneswar: While the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Crime Branch has intensified its probe into the alleged land grabbing at Sarua village in Khurda district, one more official of Odisha Infratech Private Ltd (OIPL) has resigned from the company.

Siba Prasad Srichandan, who was the site in-charge and agent, sent his resination letter to the managing director of Odisha Television Ltd (OTV), Jagi Mangat Panda.

In his letter, Srichandan wrote that he has been working with OPIL since 2007 and put his signature wherever the company asked him to do so. “Now that I am in jail, the image of my family is tarnished. As I have decided not to continue as an employee of OIPL, I request you to accept my resignation and give me the arrear salary,” he added.

Meanwhile, his wife Sneha Srichandan expressed shock over his and claimed that he was innocent. “My husband has done whatever the company had asked him to do. As the OTV MD and her husband Baijayant Panda are responsible for the arrest of my husband, let the Crime Branch bring them under the purview of their investigation,” she demanded.

Earlier on Friday, the former Chief Finance Officer (CFO) of OPIL and one of the company directors, Manoranjan Sarangi, had told the High Court that he was not willing to continue as a petitioner as he has resigned from OIPL.

Sarangi, who was arrested by the EOW on October 7, had tendered his resignation from the post of the CFO and OIPL director while he was lodged in Jharpada jail.

The state government had ordered a Crime Branch probe after it was alleged that the company had purchased land at Sarua belonging to Scheduled Caste people between June 2010 and June 2013.