BHUBANESWAR: The Odisha Lokayukta on Friday accepted the recommendation of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and asked the State Vigilance to conduct a preliminary inquiry into corruption charges against Gopalpur MLA Pradeep Panigrahy. It has sought the inquiry report within two months.
A summon notice against Panigrahy will be issued by the Lokayukta soon. The Chief Minister had referred corruption allegations against him to the Lokayukta for investigation on December 7. This was the first corruption case of a public servant referred to the Lokayukta for investigation after its formation.
The DSP (Vigilance), Bhubaneswar, had lodged a formal complaint with the Lokayukta on December 9 in which serious allegation of corruption was made against Panigrahy. The Lokayukta order said that the complaint was based on a secret verification by the Vigilance cell and also supported by a number of documents.
The complaint prima facie revealed that Panigrahy has amassed assets disproportionate to his known sources of income by resorting to corrupt practices. “We, therefore, by exercising powers conferred under section 20(1) of the Odisha Lokayukta Act, 2014, direct the Directorate of Vigilance, Odisha, Cuttack, to conduct a preliminary inquiry against Panigrahy and submit report within two months,” the order said.
Crime Branch police had arrested Panigrahy on December 3 in connection with the recruitment scam in which he allegedly collected money on behalf of Akash Pathak.
Pradeep moves High Court for bail
Cuttack: Pradeep Panigrahy has moved the Orissa High Court for bail. Senior advocate Pitambar Acharya filed the bail plea on Thursday. A subordinate court had rejected his bail plea following his arrest on December 3