Bhubaneswar, Sep 21 (FN Agency) The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Thursday expelled Khandapada MLA Soumya Ranjan Patnaik and Remuna MLA Sudhansu Parida from the party for their alleged anti-people activities. In a release, the BJD said Sudhansu Sekhar Parida, in connivance with others, had misappropriated a government subsidy of more than Rs 3 crore, meant for farmers, during the period from 2017-18 to 2019-20, when he was the managing partner of M/s Nigamananda Associates, Balasore. This matter is being inquired into by the State Vigilance on the orders of the Lokayukta. Similarly, a case has been registered against Khandapada MLA Somuya Ranjan Pattnaik and others by the Economic Offence Wing of Odisha Crime Branch Police under various sections of the IPC on the basis of an FIR filed by an ex-employee of Sambad newspaper. Further, many ex-employees of the Sambad newspaper have made similar allegations against EOW Odisha.
It is a serious case of organized bank fraud involving loans worth crores of rupees taken in the name of more than 300 employees of Sambad by using fraudulent means and forged documents.Earlier, the BJD Chief had removed Somuya Ranjan Patnaik from the party’s vice president post. The BJD took action against him after he criticized the functioning of the state of affairs in the party in the editorial page of his Odia daily” Sambad and 5T Secretary V K Pandian,who is also the secretary to the Chief Minister.Soumya Ranjan Patnaik has been very vocal against 5T Secretary V K Pandian for what he alleged was indulging in party politics and questioned the decision of the Chief Minister to allow Pandian to visit various places, address public meetings, receive grievances from the people, and give orders to officials to solve the problems. Both the BJP and Congress have also been opposing the functioning of the 5T Secretary and have asked him to resign from his official post if he is so keen to enter politics.