By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR/BERHAMPUR/CUTTACK: The heads started rolling in Odisha following a massive corruption empire held by an State cadre IFS officer Abhay K Pathak and his history cheater son, Akash Pathak that being patronised by a ruling BJD MLA Pradeep Panigrahi exploded.
Fearing public anger, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik after arresting the father son duo , on Sunday expelled his Party’s Gopalpur MLA Pradeep Panigrahi. An official release issued by the BJD said: “Pradeep Panigrahi, MLA Gopalpur is expelled from the primary membership of the party with immediate effect for his anti- people activities.”Though the BJD’s official order signed by its general secretary (Media Affair) Manas Ranjan Mangaraj mentioned Panigrahi’s “anti-people” activities, it was not clarified the nature of the offence he allegedly indulged in.
It took 5 months for Chief Minister Patnaik and Odisha Police Top brasses to realise MLA Panigrahi’s link with Pathaks, cooling their heels in Jharpada Jail after their arrest by Vigilance of State Police. Why so late?
On May 18, 2020, Tata Motors had written to IGP (Crime Branch) Amitendra Nath Singh and had lodged an FIR against Akash Pathak but the CID-CB kept mum as MLA Panigrahi keep helping the IFS officer and his son.
The development came against the MLA was taken after his alleged association with tainted IFS Officer Abhay Kant Pathak’s son Akash Kumar Pathak and involvement in job fraud came to fore in media.
Panigrahi landed in trouble after the Tata Motors Limited (TML) recently lodged a complaint with the Crime Branch of Odisha Police against Akash Kumar Pathak accusing him of committing cheating, forgery and impersonating as the Managing Director of the company.
The company in its FIR mentioned that Akash had taken huge amount of money fraudulently from unemployed youth alluring them of providing jobs in Tata Motors. Abhay’s son projected himself as the MD of Tata Motor Pune Passenger Division and CEO designate.
The father-son duo was arrested by Odisha Vigilance on Nov 27 on charges of amassing wealth disproportionate to their known sources of income, a day after raids in different places in Bhubaneswar, Mumbai and Pune as well as Tata Motors brought fresh allegations against Akash Pathak.
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) to issue notices to persons related to facts and circumstances of the disproportionate asset case against IFS officer Pathak for examination and to record their statement. During its first meeting of the SIT’s core team today, a decision was taken to serve notices under Section 160 CrPC to people related to the disproportionate assets case for appearance at the Vigilance cell.Banks officials, Forest officials and relatives, employees and associates of the IFS officer will also be examined.
A statement issued by the Vigilance said the firms from which costly vehicles have been purchased will also be examined. The sources of assets and investment channels are being probed, it read.The SIT is examining the voluminous records and documents that were seized during searches to gain further leads in the disproportionate asset case. The State Forensic Science Laboratory is also assisting the Vigilance in the case.
