By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR: The arrested MLA Pradeep Panigrahy, IFS officer Abhay Pathak and his cheater son, Akash may likely celebrate their Happy New Year-2021 in Jharpada Jail here if High Court not came into their rescue. After failing to get bails from City based Special Vigilance Court, and Additional District and Sessions Judge Court-3, MLA Panigrahy on Friday moved the HC seeking bail.
MLA Panigrahy was arrested by the Odisha Crime Branch on December 3 under Sections 419, 420, 467, 468, 469, 471, 120-B of the IPC and Section 66C/66D of IT Act. Accepting recommendation of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik dated December 7, Odisha Lokayukta has directed the state Vigilance Directorate to investigate the corruption allegation levelled against expelled BJD leader and Gopalpur MLA Pradeep Panigrahi. The Lokayukta asked the Vigilance to submit a report within two months after the preliminary investigation.
Meanwhile, Both the suspended IFS officer Abhay Pathak and the cheater son Akash were produced before the court by Commissionerate Police. The Kharavel Nagar police also informed the court about new cases lodged against the duo.“I have not cheated anyone and have proofs for the same,” said Akash while pleading before the Sub-Divisional Judicial Magistrate (SDJM) Court here .Odisha Crime Branch (CB) has taken Akash on a 5-days remand starting as the SDJM Court allowed the former for the same. Source said the CB will conduct a face-to-face interrogation of the trio-Pathak, his secretary David Peter and expelled BJD MLA Panigrahy.
