Odisha: BJD seeks probe against Baijayant Panda for alleged money laundering

Bhubaneswar: There seems to be more trouble in store for former MP and industrialist Baijayant Jay Panda as BJD MP Bharthari Mahtab today demanded a probe against Panda and his wife in connection with the alleged Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) violation and money laundering.

Raising the issue during Zero Hour in the Lok Sabha today, the BJD Parliamentary Party leader said he wanted to know what steps were being taken by the Centre in this regard.

“An Indian passport holder did not take the approval of the government or the RBI before the companies, in which the person and his wife and his family friends have controlling and beneficial interests, opened bank accounts in the tax haven of Nassau, Bahamas. I am talking about Mr B J Panda,” Mahatab said in the floor of the House.

Saying he wants to know as to what action has been taken by the Centre, the BJD MP asked: “What steps Union government has taken? Is it still at investigation stage? How long will it take to complete the investigation?.”

He further said, “If not he (Baijayant Panda) was liable for criminal prosecution under several Indian laws relating to foreign exchange violation and money laundering.”

Panda, however, denied all the allegations levelled against him. “I have no account in Bahamas. Neither do any of our family companies. For 60 years various family companies have done business dealings all over the world. These are all through official channels and with intimation and approval of concerned authorities like RBI etc and are in the public domain,” he claimed in a statement.

According to reports, the Income Tax Department received a complaint alleging money laundering and violation of FEMA by former Biju Janata Dal MP.

Panda was suspended from the BJD last year for alleged anti-party activities and later he quit the party.