BHUBANESWAR: Ahead of the first phase panchayat polls beginning on February 16, the Congress on Monday targeted Minister of State for Home Dibya Shankar Mishra over the Mamita Meher murder case. The party alleged that the police are trying to cover up the case and protect the minister.
Addressing a media conference here, party spokesperson Manoj Mohapatra referred to the 1,500 page chargesheet filed by the police. Mohapatra alleged that the chargesheet has only mentioned the key accused Gobinda Sahu and his driver Radhe but ignored many other aspects of the case.
The Congress released a video to substantiate its earlier allegation that the minister had travelled to Raipur in October last year where he met Sahu before the latter’s arrest. In the video, the minister is seen approaching the boarding gate at Raipur airport alone.
Mohapatra alleged that from Raipur, the minister had left for New Delhi via Chandigarh on October 15. He then flew to Raipur on October 18 where he met the main accused Sahu. Giving details of his travels, he said the minister flew from Raipur to Delhi on an IndiGo flight (2409).
Same day, he left Delhi at 3.50 pm on another IndiGo flight ((2313) for Chandigarh, where he arrived at 4.45 pm, he added. On October 18 , Mishra departed from Chandigarh airport on a Vistara flight (UK 707) at 3.25 pm for Delhi. From Delhi, he departed at 6.45 pm by an IndiGo flight (2375) for Raipur where he arrived at 8.35 pm, he added.
Mohapatra wanted to know whether the State government was aware of the trip. Besides, if the Chandigarh administration was also informed that a minister from Odisha was in the city.
“Only two people are named in the Mamita Meher chargesheet. The minister, the main conspirator, has not been named in it. We had earlier alleged that the minister visited Raipur which he had denied. Today, we have given proof of that,” he said.