Pradhan dares State police to arrest him

BHUBANESWAR: Daring the State Police to arrest him, Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan on Thursday asked Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to explain why his government has not taken action against those who are involved in the chit fund scam.

Taking exception to Chhatrapur police summoning two BJP leaders in connection with the murder case of a councillor in September 2017, Pradhan said the police have the authority to summon anybody they want.
“They (police) are welcome if they want to arrest me by implicating me in a false case like they did to two BJP leaders (Golak Mohapatra and Bhrugu Baxipatra). Let the government give the task of arresting me to the Director General of Police or any other senior police officer,” Pradhan told media persons.

Accusing the Chief Minister of shielding the prime accused of the multi-thousand crore ponzi scam, the Union Minister said 20 lakh depositors of the State are anxiously waiting for the return of their deposits and action against the scamsters.

Cautioning that no one, how mighty or influential MP or Minister they may be, will be spared in chit fund scam, the Union Minister said one of the accused is being protected by the Chief Minister in his residence.
Perceiving the state police action as a retaliatory measure to CBI summoning two BJD legislators, State BJP vice-president Samir Mohanty said, “The law does not take it own course in the State as often claimed by the Chief Minister. It takes the course the BJD wants.”

Slamming the ruling party for using the state police to score over its political opponents, Mohanty said registration of an FIR against BJP leaders including party’s State unit president Basanta Panda by Puri district police is another case in point.

Hours after news on CBI issuing notice to BJD MLAs Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak and Arun Sahu over chit fund scam, Chhatrapur police summoned the two BJP leaders in connection with Chhattrapur murder case.

Jena targets UnionMin

Bhubaneswar: The BJD on Thursday hit out at Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan for criticising the State Government over notice issued by the police to two BJP leaders Golak Mohapatra and Bhrugu Baxipatra in the murder case of Laxmidatt Pradhan, a councillor of Chhatrapur municipality. Claiming that the state police is doing its duty properly, Health and Family Welfare Minister and senior BJD leader Pratap Jena asked Pradhan to answer as to who had booked rooms in a guest house in Uttarakhand for the accused persons. Jena said the Union Minister should answer who had patronised and encouraged the killers of Pradhan and admitted them in BJP at a function in Ganjam district. The Union Minister should first reply to these questions rather than giving statements on the chit fund scam, law and morality, Jena said.