Bhubaneswar/Cuttack, Feb. 19: The BJP state unit today alleged that tainted IAS officer Partha Sarathi Mishra had close links with industry minister Debi Prasad Mishra.
Vigilance officials arrested Partha, who was managing director of the Odisha Small Industries Corporation Limited, on the charge of accepting Rs 2,14,750 as bribe. He was also found possessing assets worth more than Rs 5 crore. "Partha Sarathi Mishra was an agent of the minister and was collecting money on his behalf. We suspect differences between the IAS officer and the minister led to his arrest. There should be a thorough inquiry into the matter," said BJP state president Sameer Mohanty.
However, the BJD accused the BJP of making baseless and irresponsible allegations during the panchayat polls.
"Partha Sarathi Mishra is an administrative officer and has served under Debi Prasad Mishra and at several other places such as Ravenshaw University and Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation. The BJP has become a laughing stock for making such baseless allegations," said BJP spokesperson Sashi Bhusan Behera.
The vigilance directorate has constituted six special teams to probe into the alleged illegal assets case involving the IAS officer.
Vigilance director R.P. Sharma had constituted the six special teams, each led by a senior officer, taking into consideration of the voluminous documents and records recovered during raids on the residential and official premises of Partha.
The 2006-batch Odisha Administrative Service (OAS) officer was promoted to IAS in 2015. The anti-corruption wing has moved special judge, vigilance, Cuttack to take Partha on remand for five days for further investigation.
"The court has fixed Monday for considering our plea," said Ajay Pattnaik, special public prosecutor (vigilance).
The petition for remand has been made to ascertain the details of his foreign trips, acquisition of illegal assets and sources of income. "Travel documents found during raids indicate he frequently went abroad. He had visited the US, UK, Canada and the Netherlands. A good amount of money was apparently spent on these trips. The trips are being valued now," said superintendent of police, vigilance, Cuttack, Manoranjan Panda.
