Even as the ruling BJD is inflicted by intraparty dissidence in the run-up to the February 6 elections to the Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC), the relief material loot allegations against its corporators are going to haunt the party afresh.
Following Thursday’s direction of the Odisha High Court for police action, the Cuttack Nagarik Committee is working out a detailed presentation to the Cuttack Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) seeking penal action against all the corporators who were involved in looting of the relief materials meant for the Phailin-affected people of the city.
“We are drafting a detailed representation to be submitted to the DCP on Monday,” informed counsel of the Nagarik Committee Satyabrata Pradhan.
The committee had approached the High Court alleging that the city police are not registering complaints against tainted corporators even as FIRs have been filed in this regard at the Purighat police station.
The High Court, which observed that prima facie it appears that the FIRs are cognisable, directed the petitioner committee to make a detailed presentation before the DCP afresh. Justice SC Parija also directed the DCP to take appropriate action on the presentation of the petitioner as per law.
It may be recalled that following the allegations that many BJD corporators looted the relief materials at the behest of two local BJD MlAs, the Chief Minister had entrusted the Vigilance Directorate to investigate into the shoddy affair.
Although Vigilance sleuths have registered cases against the tainted corporators and a few officers of the CMC, the prosecution has not made any discernable progress in the investigation.
Alleging that many ruling party leaders, including the MlAs, are involved in the loot case, the Nagarik Committee suspects that the Vigilance probe is “mere eyewash”.