The Congress on Wednesday sought to corner the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) over the association of expelled Gopalpur BJD MLA Pradeep Panigrahi with IFS officer Abhay Kant Pathak, who was arrested for corruption recently. Senior Congress leader Panchanan Kanungo asked the BJD a set of eight questions and tried to put the State Government in the dock on many issues, including the Brahmapur liquor deaths, in which Pradeep Panigrahi was allegedly involved.
He asked the Government to reveal the name of the officer who is considering the political leaders as “dogs”, played a key role in developing relationship between Panigrahi and 80 liquor mafia and escorted Panigrahi to the Naveen Niwas to invite the CM for his daughter’s wedding.
Kanungo questioned the Government as to how the Chief Minister’s Office was not aware of the Rs 5-lakh donation made by Pathak to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund (CMRF).He also raised doubt over the State Vigilance for its delayed action against the tainted IFS officer.“All the officers submit their affidavits showing worth of their assets before the Government every year.
Why did not the State Vigilance authorities suspect Abhay Pathak’s corrupt acts since a long time,” Kanungo questioned. He also asked to make the letters written by Panigrahi to the CM public to ascertain the genuineness of the claims he was making.