Bhubaneswar, Jan. 14: The state vigilance today raided a gas agency owned by the brother of Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan and found a shortage of 40 filled cylinders at his godown in Talcher.

The vigilance, in a statement, said the gas cylinders had been sold without authorisation to one Debaraj Panda of Talcher without any document. The vigilance officials said verification of records further revealed that the 40 cylinders had allegedly been issued in the name of different consumers of the agency by faking documents.

Later, Panda's godown was searched and 83 gas cylinders of various companies, including the 40 cylinders from Pradhan Gas Service, were found.

"Gas filling materials were also found on the premises of Panda's godown," the vigilance said.

While the vigilance department maintained that the raids were being conducted on petrol stations and gas agencies following various allegations by consumers, BJP leaders alleged that Soumendra Pradhan (Dharmendra's brother) was being targeted as Dharmendra was emerging as a serious threat to chief minister Naveen Patnaik.

During the raids on various petrol pumps and gas agencies of Koraput, Nabarangpur, Bhubaneswar, Puri, Berhampur, Balasore, Sambalpur, Bargarh, Angul and Cuttack, the vigilance detected that many of the filling stations did not possess an explosives licence, required under the Explosive Act and Rules.

The raids also come in the wake of the CBI's renewed efforts in pursuing investigation into the money deposit collection scam. Last week, the CBI had raided the premises of BJD leaders - Balasore MP Rabindra Kumar Jena, Cuttack-Choudwar MLA Pravat Biswal, and Naveen's personal aide Saroj Sahu.

At a BJD programme today, Naveen targeted the Centre and said: "We (Odisha) have been a victim of central neglect and conspiracy both in cases of Polavaram and Mahanadi."

But, the BJP reacted differently to the raids. "I hope it's not part of vindictive politics," said BJP general secretary Pruthviraj Harichandan as a 15-member vigilance team raided the office premises of Soumendra, who runs the gas agency. The team also consisted of officials of the state weights and measures department.

The allegation against the agency, set up in 2000, was that Soumendra had diverted the gas cylinders - meant for residential customers - for commercial purpose and allegedly indulged in black-marketing. Besides, he was accused of giving less quantity of gas. The agency has 12,000 customers in Talcher.

Soumendra rebutted the charges and said: "I have never heard of vigilance raids on any gas agency. It's the company (PSU) officials, who conduct such raids. I feel victimised. Even if I tell my brother, what can he do?"

Soumendra said: "I am being targeted because Dharmendra has been taking a tough stance against the BJD government. I have not committed any irregularity, but they are determined to harass me."

"The Naveen Patnaik government is scared of Dharmendra Pradhan. We know why the raids are being conducted. It reflects their political vendetta," said BJP vice-president Samir Mohanty.

State agriculture minister Pradeep Maharathy said: "If someone has committed anything wrong, it has to pay for it. There is no politics in it."

"We have specific complaints, and the raids are being conducted on different petrol pumps and gas agencies based on that," said said vigilance director-general R.P. Sharma.

But, Odisha LPG Distribution Association president S.B. Mohapatra said: "Not a single complaint has been received by us against the Pradhan Gas Agency. The agency people usually carry weighing machines with them to enable the customers to check the cylinder's weight."

Addressing the BJD's legal cell, Naveen asked why the Centre had stopped funding to the backward Koraput-Balangir-Kalahandi region. "Tribal students are facing problems in getting central funds for higher education," he said.