Odisha: BJP demands resignation of forest minister
BERHAMPUR: The BJP’s Ganjam district unit on Saturday demanded the resignation of the forest and environment minister, Bikram Keshari Arukh, following the arrest of senior IFS officer Abhay Kant Pathak for amassing disproportionate assets.
They also demanded that Arukh be brought within the purview of the investigation. The BJP claimed Arukh was responsible being the forest minister as Abhay amassed huge assets.
The Congress in Gopalpur demanded the removal of Pradeep Panigrahy as MLA. A group of Congress supporters, led by S Dharmaraj Reddy, submitted a memorandum addressed to chief minister Naveen Patnaik, through Berhampur SP Pinak Mishra.
The Congress supporters have also requested the government to return the money to those who were duped by the MLA with the promise of jobs.
Abhay and his son, Akash, were arrested on November 27 for amassing wealth disproportionate to their known source of income. Panigrahy was arrested by the Crime Branch for allegedly conspiring with junior Pathak and duping several youths by promising them jobs at Tata Motors.
The three-time MLA was expelled from the primary membership of BJD on Sunday. “After his arrest, there was no public representative to look into the assembly constituency. Let him be removed as the MLA and hold fresh election for the post,” a Congress leader said.
Meanwhile, the BJP’s district unit president Bibhuti Jena demanded that the investigating agency also inquire into the alleged involvement of Panigrahy in the chit fund scams and to bring him under the purview of the inquiry to all of his associates, including an MLA in the district.