By Anurjay Dhal
RAJKANIKA/KENDRAPARA (ODISHA): The corporate and media rich Panda family in Odisha on Sunday received a major jolt after the Crime Branch of State Police, arrested Manoranjan Sarangi, one of the directors of Odisha InfraTech Pvt Ltd on allegation of land scam at Sarua village under Begunia Tehsil of Khurda district. This was second major arrest of any official having links with BJP National VP Baijayant ‘Jay’ Panda family owned OTV Networks by Odisha Police.It may be noted here that Sarangi also works as the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of the OTV Network Ltd.
“On the allegations of some scheduled caste persons of Sarua village, TehsilBegunia, district Khurda and one ex-employee of Ortel communication belonging to scheduled caste regarding fraudulent land transactions, Government ordered an enquiry by Crime Branch. Officers of Economic Offence Wing of Crime Branch enquired into the matter. During enquiry, prima
facie it was revealed that one company namely Odisha InfraTech Pvt Ltd purchased land belonging to scheduled caste persons circumventing rules laws using forgery, cheating, intimidation and other dubious methods with an intension to cause losses to SC people. Basing on the enquiry report a criminal case vide EOW case no 08/2020 u/s 420/423/467/468/471/120-B IPC read with sections 3 (1) (g) (q) of SC & ST (POA) act was registered. Sri Manoranjan Sarangi, one of the directors of Odiasha InfraTech Pvt Ltd was arrested today and forwarded to court. Further investigation is on,” the CID-CB said a press note issued in the afternoon, copy of which is available with this News Website.
With CID-CB is being headed by flamboyant S Priyadarshi and his deputy JN Pankaj, and CMO and well as Naveen Niwas, giving a free hand, Jay Panda and his model turned entrepreneur wife Jagi Panda run TV Channel and its subsidiaries may likely to face more tough time in coming days and more arrest likely to follow soon, sources said. Soon after CB arrested Sarangi, BJD came down heavily on Panda family with Party’s Rajya Sabha MP and National spokesperson Amar Patnaik alleging that they exploits poor for their personal gains.
“#JayPandaTheLandMafioso. The national Vice President of the ruling party, @PandaJay,is at it again; this time deviously usurping the land of hundreds of poor scheduled caste people for his Odisha Infratech Pvt Ltd. like a ruthless land Mafioso,” tweeted BJD Rajya Sabha MP and National Spokesperson, Dr Amar Patnaik @Amar4Odisha.
“But when the poor people raise a heckle and his scam is called out, he is at it again- crying foul at the odisha Govt, Naveen Patnaik , press freedom and political witch-hunting and what not! What kind of justice is this?What kind of society have we come to live in where the filthy rich are still impoverishing the poor of whatever little possession they have? Let’s all wake up and raise a chorus of revolt! The power has to be with the poor!,” MP Dr Patnaik added.
