CUTTACK: The Orissa High Court has fixed Wednesday for hearing on former minister Pradeep Panigrahy’s bail petition along with his affidavit. The Court has sought the affidavit stating as to whether Panigrahy is ready and willing to deposit in the trial court the amount he allegedly received from the job aspirants.
The HC fixed the date on Monday after senior advocate Pitambar Acharya, who was appearing for Panigrahy, sought one day time to obtain instruction and file the affidavit. Allowing it, Justice SK Sahoo directed him to file the affidavit by Tuesday and posted the bail plea for hearing to February 24.
The Gopalpur MLA is in judicial custody since the CID-Crime Branch arrested him on December 3 last year in connection with an alleged job scam. Earlier, Advocate General AK Parija had filed some relevant documents along with a note which revealed that the total amount stated to have been received by Panigrahy from the job aspirants is to the tune of `47.45 lakh. Parija further submitted that the alleged amount is likely to increase because the investigation is under progress and some witnesses may come forward to give their statements and produce documents showing payment of money to Panigrahy. His arrest was in connection with a case relating to alleged impersonation, cheating, forgery, criminal conspiracy and other cyber offences by Akash Kumar Pathak, son of IFS officer Abhay Pathak, who was implicated in an alleged disproportionate assets case.