Congress leaders on Thursday demanded action against Tirtol MLA of BJD Rabindranath Bhoi for filing false affidavit during submission of his nomination papers for the Assembly election in 2009. They have submitted a memorandum to the Speaker and chief election commissioner demanding investigation into the matter.
The matter came to light when Niranjan Sethi, a Bhubaneswar-based lawyer, sought details of the educational qualification of Bhoi from principal of SVM College, Jagatsinghpur, Manindra Mohanty under RTI Act on July 12, 2013.
During filing of nomination, Bhoi had mentioned in the affidavit that he had passed HSC examination in 1983 from Alaka High school, Balia under Biridi block.
Similarly, he had passed Plus Two Science from SVM College, Jagatsinghpur in 1985. However, in the replies received by Sethi, it was revealed that Bhoi had not passed Plus Two.
Mohanty said, “As per the request of the advocate, we have provided the information under RTI Act on July 30, 2013 that MLA Bhoi had not passed Plus Two examination from this college.”
The RTI reply also revealed that Bhoi took admission in SVM College on July 25, 1984 and had appeared for Plus Two Science examination in 1986 in which he had failed.
Of total 900 marks, he had secured only 155. Even, Bhoi has not yet applied to take his college leaving certificate till date.
When contacted, Bhoi said, “One Rajshree Mallick was nominated by the party to contest from this seat in 2009 Assembly election. But, as her name was not in voters’ list, I was selected at the last moment. I had no time to read the affidavit which was prepared by our local senior BJD leaders. I had signed it without reading the matter.”
Senior Congress leader Raj Kishore Behera has strongly criticised the activities of Bhoi for misleading nearly 2.14 lakh voters by producing false affidavit. “Submitting false information in affidavit is obviously an illegal act,” he said.
Meanwhile, BJD leaders of Tirtol have alleged that it was the handiwork of local senior BJD leaders to defame Bhoi.
They said Bhoi was a strong supporter of district unit president-cum-MLA Bishnu Das as the former had got party ticket from Tirtol seat through Das.
Later, dissatisfied with the activities of Das, Bhoi ditched Das and joined the camp of his rival Damodar Rout.