BHUBANESWAR: BJD president and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday expelled two party MLAs Soumya Ranjan Patnaik and Sudhansu Sekhar Parida for anti-people activities. The expulsion was announced by the chief minister to mediapersons at Naveen Niwas.
While the disciplinary action against Khandapada MLA Patnaik has come following raids by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Crime Branch on the media house run by him over alleged bank loan fraud, Parida has been expelled for allegedly misappropriating farmers’ subsidy to the tune of Rs 3 crore.
The expulsion order issued by the BJD said, EOW Odisha registered a case against Patnaik and others under sections 506/467/468/471/420/120-B of the IPC basing on a FIR filed by a former employee of Sambad newspaper. “Many former employees of Sambad newspaper have made similar allegations with the EOW. It is a serious case of organised bank fraud involving loan worth crores of rupees taken in the name of more than 300 employees of Sambad by using fraudulent means and forged documents,” the order stated.
Patnaik’s expulsion has come a week after he was removed as the vice-president of BJD. The action had come after several senior leaders and ministers of the ruling party targeted Patnaik for his critical views on the ruling dispensation. Some of the BJD leaders had even asked him to quit the party.
Parida, the Remuna MLA, has been accused of swindling crores of rupees meant to subsidise farm equipment purchase by scheduled castes and scheduled tribes beneficiaries. He, in connivance with others, allegedly misappropriated government subsidy amounting to over Rs 3 crore meant for farmers during 2017-18 and 2019-20. He was then the managing partner of Nigamananda Associates, Balasore. This matter is being inquired into by the State Vigilance on the orders of the Lokayukta, the expulsion order said.
Acting speaker of the Assembly Rajanikanta Singh had also reportedly maintained that a probe should be ordered into the irregularities. A case is pending with Lokayukta of Odisha in this regard. As per the findings of the vigilance inquiry, notices were also served to the MLA and his partners along with 15 other agents/associates of the firm.
While Patnaik has not reacted to the expulsion, the Remuna MLA said he has not committed any irregularity. “I am not aware of any irregularities. I do not know why action has been taken against me,” he said.
BJP demands arrest of Remuna MLA
Soon after the expulsion of Remuna MLA from BJD, the BJP questioned why he has not yet been arrested despite establishment of his involvement in swindling crores of rupees of government subsidy
Action undemocratic, says Congress
OPCC president Sarat Pattanayak condemned the expulsion alleging the action against the two MLAs has exposed the undemocratic nature of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. The BJD government in the state is an-all round failure, Pattanayak said