By Anurjay Dhal
RAJKANIKA/KENDRAPARA (ODISHA): BJP National VP Baijayant ‘Jay’ Panda and his model turn entrepreneur wife Jagi Panda run OTV, always using “Media Freedom” to Cover up Illegal Mining-Industrial Activities of their family owned IMFA Group, alleged BJD MP Dr Sasmit Patra.MP Dr Patra, who is one of BJD’s National spokesperson, came down heavily soon after CID-CB arrested OTV CFO Manoranjan Sarangi.
“#BaijayantPanda and his company Odisha Infratech Ltd. exploits poor Scheduled Castes in Sarua, Khurda, Odisha by usurping their land resulting in land scam for which its Director is arrested, but #JayPanda links it to OTV to hide behind the garb of media!,” BJD Rajya Sabha MP Dr. Sasmit Patra tweeted @sasmitpatra. “#JayPanda is mines owner, businessman, real estate developer, multimillionaire. Whenever illegalities in his businesses are caught, he misues terms like “media freedom” to trick sympathy and uses #OTV as shield. Is #BaijayantPanda and his businesses above law since he owns #OTV ?#JayPandaExposed Poor Scheduled Caste people who lost their lands in Sarua to the exploitation of #BaijayantPanda and his Odisha Infratech Pvt Ltd are crying but their tears #OTV will never show. Maybe for #JayPanda its business as usual, people dont matter, making crores matters,” Patra said
Meanwhile, the corporate and media rich Panda family received a major jolt after the Crime Branch of State Police, arrested 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.
Earlier, it may be noted here that BJD MPs Dr Patra and Patnaik had came down heavily on former Kendrapara MP Panda over money laundering allegation.
MP Dr Patra had few days back in a Twitter post, said, “Finlay, Messina and Pikika, three Bahamas registered companies fund Baijayant Panda companies and then disappear. Baijayant Panda and Jagi Panda must answer who were those mysterious Bahamas investors that are untraceable today. Who were they?” “No investigations conducted into the allegations of round tripping of black money and investments into Jay Panda companies despite Hon’ble Delhi High Court Order. Why is the multi-agency including ED/IT/CBI silent?” Patra had asked.
“Allegations of round tripping of black money and investments into Jay Panda group companies surprising and shocking. Indian Express published the details and the Hon’ble Court has directed investigation,” he had said in another post on Twitter.
Attaching copies of court order the BJD leader said, “Delhi High Court Order shows direction to Multi Agency Group comprising of CBI, ED & Income Tax to investigate Bahamas. Bahamas Expose in a Press meet today linking Baijayant Panda to 3 Shell companies’ fundings. Sharing 2 documents that a journalist friend attending the Press meet shared with me. I think Baijayant Panda should come out and address this issue and clarify about the Bahamas companies’ funding.”
MP Dr Patnaik also had hit out at Panda and said, “At that time they are/were non-existent though! With just an approved capital of about 6 lakhs, these shell companies invested about 18 Crs in Pandas’ companies and bought real estate. Surely ED & CBI won’t get a better case to investigate & book him & accomplices, even if he is national vice-President of a political party. Law is supposed to be blind & fair.Our democracy sustains itself on constitutional edifice of rule of law. don’t need a court order for this.”“The #JayPandaBahmasExpose is a shocking but classic money laundering case. Black money purportedly made through blackmail(remember he owns a TV channel) & illegal business deals (he owns several businesses) is round tripped back to India through two Bahamas based shell companies,” Patnaik had said.
