BHUBANESWAR: The State BJP on Tuesday questioned the neutrality of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) in dealing with the matter relating to seizure of `40.5 lakh cash from a vehicle at Mahilpali by Padampur police of Bargarh district.In a petition to the CEO, the BJP said the manner in which the case is being handled by Padampur police has raised doubts about the fairness of investigation.
Without investigating into the matter, SDPO of Padampur Laxmi Narayan Panda said the money was brought from Raipur by a jewellery trader for use in BJP electioneering in Bijepur by-poll. While the family members of the trader claim that the money belonged to them, the police has not brought any of the family members of the accused under the purview of investigation.
Suspecting the role of the police, particularly the SDPO in the case, the BJP had demanded action against him. The saffron party has been alleging that the police officer is acting as an agent of the ruling BJD and harassing BJP workers. The inaction of the CEO against the police officer is baffling, State BJP vice-president Samir Mohanty told reporters.
A delegation led by Mohanty met the CEO and requested him act as per the constitutional provision.
The delegation further brought to the notice of the CEO about the incident in which the house of a BJP leader was searched and the election office of the party at Gaisilet was raided without search warrant.
The delegation has further alleged that vehicles of several government departments are used in distribution of money to BJD leaders in Bijepur constituency under protection from local police. They submitted a video CD allegedly containing footage of a BJD MLA promising cash allurement to people of Gorenmunda village if they turn out in large numbers to the Chief Minister’s meeting at Gaisilet.