BHUBANESWAR: Congress leader Bapi Sarkhel on Monday accused former BJD Minister and Paradip MLA Damodar Rout of having close links with gangster Tito’s aide Jyotikant Parida alias Bapu who was arrested by the Special Task Force (STF) recently on charges of extortion and issuing murder threats. Sarkhel, who unsuccessfully contested the Assembly polls from Paradip in 2014, also demanded inclusion of Rout under the purview of the ongoing Crime Branch (CB) probe due to his links with Bapu.
“When the CB has arrested Bapu for his involvement in several criminal cases, how can Rout give him a clean chit? Why is he (Rout) so concerned about Bapu?” he asked. Sarkhel also alleged Rout’s involvement in the murder of BJD youth leader Munna Pati in 2005 and sought reinvestigation of the case. “The ruling dispensation in the State should expel the senior BJD leader from the party for his links with criminals.”
Releasing a set of photographs to media where Bapu is seen taking part in a BJD rally with Rout in Paradip, Sarkhel alleged that the MLA was patronising and providing protection to criminals. The Congress leader also circulated a letter pad of Paradip Industry Protection and Development Forum in which Rout’s son Sambit Routray was among the board of advisors and Bapu the president. “How can a person having 27 criminal cases against him become president of the industry body?” asked Sarkhel.
Meanwhile, Rout’s bete noire and former BJD Minister Bishnu Das said if there is any link between Bapu and the Paradip MLA, it will be established by the STF which is investigating into the matter. Contacted, Rout said, “Why should I react to a person like him (Sarkhel) who is a criminal and out on bail?” It is Sarkhel who is involved in money extortion in Paradip, he said and accused the contractor of being close to Tito and other criminals. Hitting back at Sarkhel, Rout asked, “How can a person who came to Paradip as a supervisor of a Mumbai-based company accumulate crores of rupees?”