Vigilance sleuths on Friday conducted simultaneous raids in Bhubaneswar and Baleswar and seized some documents in connection with the sting operation in which four BJD MlAs, including a woman, were caught demanding money from a man posing himself an industrialist.
A team led by the Vigilance Cell SP raided the office of the India 24×7 web channel at Madhusudannagar in Bhubaneswar but could not find its editor Rabi Sharma. Sources said the web channel had conducted the sting operation.
The probe team also searched the house of web channel’s cameraman Saroj Kamila at Dudapal under the Kamarda police station in Baleswar district. Sources said three laptops, three hard disks and five pen drives were seized during the raid.
During the raid Kamila was also not present in his house. The Vigilance officials had to return only after inspecting the house. The cameraman, who works for an agency, was a part of the sting operation.
Four BJD MlAs Seemarani Nayak (Hindol), Susant Kumar Behera (Chhendipada), Bijay Kumar Nayak (Karanjia) and Anam Nayak (Bhawanipata) were caught on camera while allegedly negotiating for crores of rupees with some persons posing as industrialists for facilitating land acquisition for setting up industries in their respective constituencies.
After the incident came to light, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had on Tuesday ordered a probe by the Vigilance into the case.