Entangled in a sting operation, three of the four BJD MlAs were questioned by Vigilance officers here late on Wednesday night. MlAs Simarani Nayak, Sushant Kumar Behera and Bijay Kumar Nayak appeared before the inquiry teams, and they were questioned for over two hours. But Bhawanipatna MlA Anam Nayak could not appear on the day, and he has reportedly sought some more time to record his statements.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had ordered a Vigilance probe after the footages of the sting operation were aired by a TV channel a fortnight ago. The MlAs were seen in the footages demanding money from the decoy business houses to facilitate establishment of industries in their respective constituencies. The Vigilance Directorate had begun inquiry into it raiding the houses of a reporter and his cameraman, who were behind the operation.
While the MlAs have denied their involvement in the whole incidence, the image of the ruling BJD has taken a beating in view of a public hue and cry over the issue.