Patnaik Silent on Minister's Alleged Receipt of Car from Ponzi Firm
BHUBANESWAR: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik preferred to remain silent over minister Sanjay Dasburma allegedly receiving a car as gift from a chit fund firm even as opposition Congress and BJP have threatened to intensify stir over the issue.
While Congress has announced to take to streets on April 26 demanding the Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister's resignation, BJP alleged that chit fund companies have invested in five firms controlled by Dasburma's family members and asked CBI to probe into it.
"We have decided to stage a demonstration demanding the minister's resignation. He has lost the moral right to remain in office and should step down immediately without which the ongoing CBI probe into the mega chit fund scam will be affected," state Congress chief Prasad Harichandan said.
However BJD spokesperson Sashi Bhushan Behera said, "It is their constitutional right to hold demonstration on any issue. Let them do it. People have trust on us and we are well prepared to counter their stir."
Congress leader Lalatendu Bidyadhar Mohapatra, who had brought the issue to the fore, alleged one Dasburma had received a Pajero car from Artha Tatwa Group CMD Pradip Sethi, who is in jail after being arrested by the CBI.
The minister had denied the allegation and submitted documents with the CBI claiming he was the real owner of the case and had not received any such vehicle from Sethi.
CBI had issued a notice to Dasburma under section 91 of the CrPC asking him to submit documents of all vehicles used by him and his family members. Apart from this, the probe agency also wanted to know about the source of funding for purchase of the vehicles.