Former Minister Dr Damodar Rout, who was expelled from the BJD recently, on Tuesday said he lost his Ministerial post as he didn’t accept a bribe of Rs 1 crore to stop raising voice against the sapling scam and the Chief Minister’s Private Secretary VK Pandian was behind the scene.
“An officer came to me and offered Rs 1 crore to me and said Pandian sir has told not to raise voice against the sapling scam. As I didn’t accept the bribe, I lost my Ministerial post within 15 days,” Rout said at a public meeting held on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti at Nrutanga near Mahanga in Cuttack district on Tuesday.
He too stated that Mahanga MLA and Minister Pratap Jena had entered politics on his recommendation to Biju Patnaik.
He is a resident of Pattamundai and staying at Jobra in Cuttack and, thus, he is not linked any specific constituency.
In his reaction, Jena refuted all his charges and said the earlier allegation of Rout having links with opposition was established on the day as he attended a BJP-sponsored meeting.