BHUBANESWAR: A day after BJD organisational secretary Pranab Prakash Das dared Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan to produce evidence before police or court to prove the involvement of Minister of State for Home Dibya Shankar Mishra in the Mamita Meher murder case, BJP hit out at the ruling party leader for his "ignorance of law".
Taking exception to Das' comments on social media seeking evidence on Mishra's involvement in the case, BJP spokesperson and senior advocate in Orissa High Court Pitambar Acharya on Sunday said it is the job of the police to collect evidence against the accused and produce the same before a court of law for prosecution.
"It is not the job of the Opposition to produce evidence. It is for the Minister to prove his innocence," Acharya said and added that Das did not only display his arrogance but political immaturity with the comment.
"If he has the guts, he should advice Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to dismiss the Home Minister and Law Minister Pratap Jena and hand over the Mamita case and the Mahanga double murder case to the CBI for a fair probe," he said.
Acharya's statement came in response to a series of tweets by Das challenging the Union Minister to go to the police or court if he has any evidence against Mishra.
The BJP spokesperson came down heavily on the State government for shielding Jena in the Mahanga double murder case and not initiating action against the Minister despite a lower court’s order to name him in the FIR.
Meanwhile, BJD spokesperson Lenin Mohanty said Acharya and his party colleague Lekhashree Samantsinghar are spreading lies to defame the State government.