BHUBANESWAR: The Assembly on Friday witnessednoisy scenes over the statement of retired justice MM Das, head of the probe panel into the multi-crore chit fund scam, on Wednesday with the Opposition members demanding his removal. The House had to be adjourned five times during the afternoon session with both the Congress and BJP members rushing to the well shouting slogans demanding ouster of retired Justice for attending a function organised by the lawyers’ forum of the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD). The Opposition members staged a walk-out when Speaker Niranjan Pujari started the process for passing the demands for grants of the School and Mass Education and Higher Education departments despite the slogan shouting by the members in the well.
Raising the issue during the afternoon session, Leader of the Opposition Narasingh Mishra demanded that the G o v e r nme n t should ask for resignation of retired Justice Das from the probe panel for attending a function organised by a political party. “If he does not resign, the State Government should remove him,” Mishra said. Mishra further said besides attending a function organised by the ruling BJD, the head of the probe panel gave statements which would give rise to doubts among the depositors about getting justice. As per the terms of reference of the Commission, it was supposed to submit its recommendations to the State Government on how to prevent such occurrences in the future. Besides, it was to inquire into involvement of politicians and influential persons in the mega chit fund scam. Mishra said there has been allegations about involvementof ministers and senior leaders of the BJD in the scam. “How can the probe panel chief attend a function organised by a political party against whose leaders there are allegations,” he said and demanded removal of retired Justice Das from the probe panel.