By Our Correspondent
KENDRAPARA/BHUBANESWAR: Pramod Kumar Sahu, who is President of Kendrapara Credit Cooperative Society Ltd and also ruling BJD State general secretary, was in trouble after Kendrapara town police registered a case against him basing on an FIR filed by a women employee of the Society.
Sources said, Police in Kendrapara was initially reluctant to lodge the FIR considering Pramod Sahu’s considerable influence in BJD’s inner circle but when the complaint moved the SDJM court, police forces to register the case.
Kendrapara Town police finally registered a case bearing Town PS Case no. 138 (dated 23.7.19) under Sections 509, 354(B)(1)(i), 506 and 294 IPC but allegedly failed to deliver justice. She then approached the SDJM court by filing a 1 CC case bearing case No-237/19. The court directed the Kendrapara Town police to register a case and conduct an inquiry. Following this, the police registered a case in this regard bearing Town PS case No 150/19 dated 09/08/19 under Sections 509/354 (A)(D)(i)(ii), 294, 506, and 34 IPC and started an inquiry.
Pramod Kumar Sahu dismissed the allegations and said that as the woman has been transferred to another branch of the Coop Society, she has been making such allegations. Meanwhile, Kendrapara SP Niti Sekhar has asked Additional SP (investigation unit for Crime Against Woman) Amita Patnaik to supervise this case and submit a detailed report.
The woman employee alleged that Sahu is intentionally harassing her. Sahu had been trying very hard since past 15 years to get a BJD ticket either for Kendrapara Assembly or Lok Sabha seat but it was not materialise as BJD fielded other candidates for both Lok Sabha and Assembly seats in the last two decades. Apart from BJD politics, Cooperative Society, Sahu is also runs a weekly Odia Newspaper.
Police sources said the victim belongs to Nachhipada village under Rajagada Panchayat. The victim alleged that she had paid Rs 1 lakh to Kamalakanta Suar, an insurance adviser, as bribe to get a clerical post with Kendrapara Credit Cooperative Society where she has been working since 2017.
She allegedly received lewd remarks from Sahu in his chamber and was touched inappropriately many times. The Coop Society president also allegedly lured her with gifting a scooter and gold chain if she abided by him. She was also forced to come to Gopa-based farmer’s society during the evening hours with Sahu where she was abused, it is alleged.
When she started resisting Sahu’s acts, she was allegedly threatened of transfer to a far-off place. It may be mentioned here that she has been transferred to Marshaghai branch of the Coop Society, it was learnt. Swain alleged that Sahu misbehaved with her and her mother too when the mother-daughter duo approached him about the matter.
