Odisha BJP MP, once ‘close-confidant’ of Naveen Patnaik, acquitted in all five job fraud cases

The previous BJD government also booked former Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer, Abhay Kant Pathak and his son Akash Pathak, in one case each out of the five cases. Akash, who was serving as a senior executive in Tata Motors, was to marry Panigrahy’s daughter shortly when the cases were registered.

Panigrahy’s counsel, Deepak Patnaik, said complainants of all five cases informed the court that they were “pressurised” by an IG-rank police officer and leaders of a political party to sign the complaint drafted by them. They also informed the court that neither they wanted to pursue cases against Panigrahy nor they knew who Abhay Kant and Akash Pathak are.

“Based on the statements of the complaints, the court acquitted Panigrahy, Abhay Kant Pathak, and Akash Pathak of all cases. There are no cases pending against Panigrahy in Berhampur court at present,” said Patnaik.

Talking to reporters, Panigrahy said those who conspired against him believed in “cheap mentality” and got a befitting reply from the people of Odisha during the 2024 polls.

Panigrahy, also a former minister, was arrested by the Crime Branch of Odisha Police on charges of forgery, fraud, and criminal conspiracy. He was accused of duping several job aspirants on the pretext of giving them employment in Tata Motors. He was released on bail by the Orissa high court in June 2021. Meanwhile, the vigilance also booked him in a disproportionate asset case. Both the cases are pending in various courts in Bhubaneswar.

According to BJD insiders, Panigrahy’s fallout with V K Pandian, former IAS and close aide of CM Patnaik who later joined BJD, is believed to be the key reason behind his expulsion from the party.

Ahead of the simultaneous general and assembly polls in 2024, the former Gopalpur MLA joined the BJP while the saffron party fielded him from the Berhampur parliamentary constituency, where he won the seat by 1.65 lakh votes.

Panigrahy, who is known to have strong connections with grassroots leaders in Ganjam, is believed to have played a crucial role behind BJD’s debacle in the largest-populous district that was once known as its stronghold. Of the total 13 assembly seats, the BJP won 11 while the BJD and Congress secured one seat each. The BJD also lost both the Lok Sabha seats in the districts. In 2019, BJD won both the Lok Sabha seats and 12 assembly seats in the district.