Chief Secy's Date with SC over MMS Scandal Today
BHUBANESWAR: Chief Secretary Gokul Chandra Pati is all set to appear in person before the Supreme Court on Friday over the MMS scandal which the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is currently probing.
The apex court had summoned the Chief Secretary on March 20 to present submissions of the Government but he missed the date. The SC not only expressed its anguish over the matter but also slapped a fine of `50,000 on the State leaving the Odisha Government embarrassed. So far though, the Government has failed to present its versions before the court on the issue.
The matter came up before the SC after it took sou motu cognisance of a letter by Hyderabad-based ‘Prajwala,’ which had stated that neither the Centre nor the State Government have taken any measure to prevent circulation of such objectionable videos in social media sites and mobile-based applications.
In this case, the videos had hit the social media before being circulated through mobile-based applications. Following the direction of the SC, the probe agency took up investigation into the matter and arrested a City-based builder Subrat Sahoo and his associate Devashis Dev. The builder had shot several intimate moments with a receptionist of his office and circulated it.
Meanwhile, in a second jolt to the Government, the apex court has directed the Chief Secretary to initiate stern disciplinary action against the officer-in-charge of Badagada Police Station in Ganjam if the latter again abused his official power and repeated the misconduct akin to re-arrest of Sangram Mohanty, son of Dandapani Mohanty, convener of Jana Adhikar Manch.
Earlier, the SC had directed the State Government to immediately release Sangram. While the State Government had registered 15 cases against him, the SC had granted him bail in eight cases on September 19 last year. The Orissa High Court granted bail in seven cases. Instead of releasing him, Mohanty was re-arrested by Badagada Police on basis of two more cases of 2011.
In the last hearing on April 6, the SC warned the police officer sternly for his arbitrary and unreasonable action of registering the case and taking steps against Mohanty belatedly to overreach the orders of the apex court.