Bhubaneswar: Union Education Minister and senior BJP leader, Dharmendra Pradhan, on Thursday accused chief minister Naveen Patnaik of protecting his minister Pratap Jena from investigation into Mahanga double murder.
Speaking at the prayer meeting organised to observe the death anniversary of former Mahanga block chairman and BJP leader Kulamani Baral through video-conferencing, Pradhan questioned the police investigation into the murder of Kulamani and his associate Dibyasingh Baral and asked how the name of local MLA Pratap Jena was removed from the charge sheet.
Though the case took a new turn as the prime accused, Prafulla Biswal, was found dead some days after the double murder in Jena’s own constituency, the chief minister remained silent and did not take any action, Pradhan said.
Accusing the chief minister of turning a blind eye to breakdown of law and order in the state, Pradhan said minister Jena himself did not respect the lower court’s order but claimed that the law will take its own course.
“Why did the police not follow the order of lower court? The chief minister has no sympathy for Odias and is running an autocratic rule. Your time will end soon,” the Union Minister said.
It may be noted that Kulamani Baral, who was a senior BJP leader, and his associate Dibyasingha Baral were found dead near Nua Bandal Chhak in Tangi area of Cuttack on February 6, 2021.
While police claimed that they died due to an accident, Baral’s son had filed an FIR against the prime accused.
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