ROURKELA: In a significant development in the investigation into the arrest of criminals and seizure of firearms from the government Circuit House at Panposh here, Rourkela police on Friday questioned Panposh sub-collector Chandrakant Mallick about how the accused gained access to the premises and stayed there for 23 days.
According to sources associated with the investigation, Mallick appeared before Rourkela SP Nitesh Wadhwani and was questioned about the booking and allotment of rooms at the Circuit House.
The sub-collector was asked about who had booked the rooms, the standard operating procedure (SOP) for allotment and the system in place for managing the Circuit House.
Sources said Mallick told the police that he had approved the booking of one room from July 21 to 23 after receiving a phone request from Prakash Paswan (35), representative of Sundargarh BJP MP Jual Oram. He reportedly told investigators that he was unaware how the criminals came to occupy two rooms.
Mallick also reportedly said the assistant collector (Nizarat officer), the sub-collector’s stenographer and the private agency engaged to manage the Circuit House coordinate among themselves for allotment of rooms.
Sources said Mallick told investigators that since the MP’s representative had approached him, he had recommended allotment of one room for three days.
When asked whether weekly statements or audits were maintained regarding room occupancy, guests and other management protocols, the sub-collector reportedly could not provide a satisfactory answer.
Contacted, SP Nitesh Wadhwani said a detailed report from the sub-collector’s office on the use of the Circuit House premises, allocation of rooms and adherence to SOPs was awaited.
“We have seized register logs and CCTV footage to ascertain the visitors to the Circuit House during that period. We are also examining employees of the private management agency as part of the ongoing investigation,” he said.
Meanwhile, the RN Pali police have intensified their search for Paswan, who has since been suspended as a state executive member of the BJP Yuva Morcha.
Sources said the criminals were in possession of the keys to rooms 107 and 111 and using them at will, allegedly turning the Circuit House into a safe haven.
The development came during the investigation into two assault cases reported on August 11 and 12. Acting on specific information about the presence of criminals at the Circuit House, RN Pali police raided the premises in the early hours of August 15. Two habitual offenders, Bikash Dungri and Narayan Sahu, were arrested from Room 107. Police seized two firearms, two magazines and nine live rounds from their possession. Another accused managed to escape during the raid.
Subsequently, police arrested five associates of the two accused from different locations and seized two firearms, two magazines and two live rounds from them.
Sources said the investigation was still under way, but preliminary findings indicated that the gang may have been using political connections to build a network for alleged extortion, control over the sand-mining trade and tender-fixing activities.