Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Parlakhemundi/Bhubaneswar, Jun 8:

A day after former Union Minister Braja Kishore Tripathy told reporters in New Delhi that Odisha’s ruling party-BJD had transferred Rs 45 lakh from its bank account to Maoist leader Sabyasachi Panda’s ICICI Bank account at Chhatrapur in Ganjam district, the Maoist leader today denied of having any such bank account and of receiving any such amount from the BJD.

Sabyasachi Panda

“I haven’t received Rs 45 lakh in my account from BJD account. I do not have any account in ICICI Bank. I have one bank account in the care of Berhampur Jail superintendent. How could he (Braja Kishore Tripathy) know that Rs 45 lakh was transferred to my account?” asked Panda to reporters while he was being taken to the District and Sessions Judge Court for production in a case.

Tripathy had yesterday stated before reporters in New Delhi that on April 10, 2014, Rs 45 lakh was transferred from BJD’s bank account to Sabyasachi Panda’s bank account.

“Rs 45 lakh was transferred from BJD’s account number 10091755246 in Bhubaneswar Main branch of State Bank of India (SBI) to Sabyasachi Panda’s Chhatrapur ICICI Bank account number 203601501728.  Also, Rs 1 lakh was transferred to Panda’s bank account on April 9, 2014, through cheque. This proves that the BJD government is patronizing Maoists. I have written to the Prime Minister for a probe,” Tripathy had alleged.

However, the BJD had immediately refuted the charges yesterday.

Tripathy had further alleged that Rs 1.5 lakh was transferred from Sabyasachi Panda’s bank account to the bank account of a relative of Higher Education Minister Pradip Kumar Panigrahi.

Refuting the allegation Panigrahi today challenged Tripathy if he was prepared to go to jail on being proved wrong.

“If the allegation is proved correct I will resign from my minister’s post. Will Braja babu go to jail if his allegation is proved wrong? This allegation is nothing but sheer madness on the part of Braja Babu,” stated Panigrahi today in response to Tripathy’s allegations.