By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR: Continuing its operations, Odisha Government, has pressed all most all its investigating agencies to unearth the entire corruption empire of arrested IFS officer Abhay Pathak, his history cheater son, Akash and their chief patron, expelled BJD MLA from Gopalpur in State’s southern district of Ganjam, the home turf of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
Stepping up its probe, Odisha Police ventured into the operations after Vigilance; CID-CB ensured the cheaters Pathak and Panigrahy cool their heels in Jharpada Jail in State Capital. Kharvel Nager Police limit under the twin city Police Commissonerate , has written a letter to management of Tata Motors Ltd seeking clarity on arrested IFS officer Pathak’s son Akash Pathak’s association with the company.
The Police have sought a very clear reply from the Tata Group, and requested them to find out if arrested history cheater Akash’s claim of being the Managing Director (MD) of Tata Motors is true.Tata Motors Limited had earlier lodged a complaint with the Crime Branch of Odisha Police against Akash accusing him of committing forgery impersonating as MD the of the company.
The Vigilance has already referred the matter related to the recovery of deposits from bank accounts of Akash to Income Tax Department and Enforcement Directorate for probe. The under scanner MLA was arrested under Sections 419, 420, 467, 468, 469, 471, 120-B of the IPC and Section 66C/66D of IT Act as there is sufficient prima facie evidence against him in this case
Besides, a case was registered against Akash Pathak and his father IFS officer Abhay Pathak for allegedly cheating travel agency Sky King of more than Rs 65 lakh.The Tata Motors in its FIR had mentioned that Akash has taken huge amount of money fraudulently from unemployed youths on the pretext of job in Tata Motors Limited. Akash Kumar impersonated himself as MD of Tata Motors Pune Passenger Division and CEO designate, it said.
As per the complainant, Akash impersonating himself as MD of Tata Motors Ltd sent mails and other forged documents and booked chartered flights and hotels worth Rs 2.78 crore since June 2020. They paid total Rs 2.13 crore and refused to clear the dues.
Meanwhile, State’s anti-corruption sleuths have detected Rs 1.28 crore more in the bank accounts of Akash . Further cash deposits of Rs 1.28 crore have been unearthed in the bank accounts of Akash in Bhubaneswar and Pune, the Vigilance said.With this, the total amount of deposits traced in his 3 bank accounts increased to Rs 16.05 crore, including cash deposits of Rs 10.76 crore. Besides, bank accounts and insurance policies of Akash have been traced in Berhampur and Bolangir, which are under verification.
Earlier, BJD Rajya Sabha MP and National Spokesperson, Dr Amar Patnaik had came down heavily on Gopalpur MLA Pradeep Panigrahy and his would son-in-law family that packed with arrested IFS officer Abhay Pathak and his history cheater son, Akash and compared their story, which was glorified by BJP leader Baijayant Panda wife Jagi Panda managed OTV, with that of ‘Charles Sobhrajsque Style Fraud’.
“It’s a Charles Sobhrajsque style fraud of monumental proportions by the team of the disgraced Hon’ble MLA of Gopalpur and his would be son-in-law’s family. And ours truly “objective and independent”@otvnews (expectedly) hails them as heroes of Odisha! What a shame!,”Dr. Amar Patnaik tweeted @Amar4Odisha.
“First #OTV snatches lands of poor scheduled caste people at Sarua by fraud and forgery. Now they support the team of fraudsters led by the “most honourable” Pradeep Panigrahi and the Pathaks.Tum bhi fraud, mein bhi fraud! Bhai Bhai!,”Dr Patnaik added.
Party’s another Rajya Sabha MP and National Spokesperson, Dr Sasmit Patra had also asked the Odia TV Channel to stop biased reporting on such corrupted and fraud elements like Pathak and Panigrahy. In a series of tweets, Dr Patra alleged that OTV opting biased reporting to misguide the investigation of Vigilance and Crime Branch along with ED and IT into the corruption empire.
“#OTV are you aware that there are hundreds of poor, displaced people who were cheated by a criminal falsely promising them jobs in Ganjam, fraudulently using his would-be son-in-law as a Fake MD of Tata Motors? Have you seen the FIR? For a change, report facts not fiction!,” BJD MP Dr. Sasmit Patra tweeted @sasmitpatra
“How do you #OTV, run such biased programs favouring a criminal who misappropriated money from poor, displaced people of Ganjam. Your programs portraying him as a sorry figure, supporting his claims are shocking & goes against very grain of journalistic ethos. #OTVBiasedReporting,” the MP asked.
“#OTV please tell us how to depict, portray & showcase a criminal as a hero on television. What’s your secret sauce of success in effectively projecting a fraud & forger as a person wronged before the unsuspecting viewers. Some skills you have there, that others shouldn’t learn!,” he added.
