BHUBANESWAR: In a fresh setback to the Naveen Patnaik led BJD Government in the State, the CBI on Tuesday arrested ruling party MLA Pravat Ranjan Biswal over the land deal his wife had carried out with Seashore Group chief Prashant Dash.
The central agency which had questioned Biswal and his wife Laxmi Bilasini in the past in connection with the Ponzi scam picked up the MLA late last night.
He was formally arrested today. Earlier in January, the probe agency had conducted searches at the residence of Biswal who represents Cuttack-Choudwar Assembly segment. His wife is a former Zilla Parishad president of Cuttack.
The CBI had had its eyes on the land deal Laxmi Bilasini struck with Dash for a land measuring 34 decimal at Benapur mouza in Jajpur district. While Dash had paid Rs 25 lakh for the land in cheques in April 2012, the rest amount was to be paid after registration of the said land. Dash later cancelled the deal and wanted his money back which the couple claims was paid.