Odisha MLA Pradeep Panigrahi sent to jail

Bhubaneswar: Gopalpur MLA Pradeep Panigrahi was today sent to Jharpada Jail after being arrested by the Odisha Crime Branch in connection with a case registered with the Cyber Police Station.

The legislator was produced before the Bhubaneswar SDJM Court, where his bail plea got rejected. He was then remanded to judicial custody for 14 days at the Jharpada Special Jail here.

Panigrahi has been arrested under Sections 419, 420, 467, 468, 469, 471, 120-B of the IPC and Section 66C/66D of IT Act as there is sufficient prima facie evidence against him in this case, the Crime Branch said.

Evidence has come to light that Panigrahi collected money from people on behalf of Akash Kumar Pathak on the false promise of providing them jobs in Tata company. This case relates to impersonation, cheating, forgery, criminal conspiracy and other cyber offences by Akash Kumar Pathak, who identified himself as in-charge Managing Director of Tata Motors passenger car division, the agency said.

The Tata Motors Limited had lodged a complaint with the Crime Branch against Akash Kumar Pathak alleging that he took huge amount of money fraudulently from unemployed youths to secure them jobs in the company. Akash Kumar illegally impersonated and projected himself as MD Tata Motor Pune Passenger Division and CEO designate, it alleged.

Akash and his father and suspended IFS officer Abhay Kant Pathak have already been arrested by the Odisha Vigilance on charges of amassing assets worth crores disproportionate to their known sources of income.